How the other half lives

In the US, people will buy in bulk because it's cheaper. Pre-packaged salad mixes are increasingly popular for busy working urbanites. Do these increasing trends have an impact on the environment?

There is an increased disparity between the middle class and the working class. This article sums it up very nicely.

"Often, [my mother] berates me for buying more expensive, pre-packaged, economy-size foodstuff, knowing full well that I would have to dispose of them because I couldn't finish them before their use-by date.

So it's the wet market that the price-conscious shoppers go to. Not just because they can poke a fish and lift its gills to note its freshness, but also because they can buy stuff in small quantities - measured by the handful; break off that piece of ginger, pick a few stalks of chye sim - and pay for the exact amount."

- ST 18 Nov 2007 "What's more important than rising food costs?" by Bertha Henson