What is one of the most embarrassing traits that describes the average American? Before the answer is revealed, here are a few things that might give you some clues. The first is food. Americans' love of eating out and throwing away leftovers to make room for new dishes is astounding. Leftover food is discarded like dead worms, either ending up in the tracks of a car or shoe, or washed away in the rain. Second, it's money. This resource is the only thing that can bring the country to its knees, let alone the average American. The tendency of Americans to spend money on unnecessary things, or to gamble their money in hopes of winning more, is what can define many average Americans. Third, overconsumption of energy. From the poor use of natural energy to the inefficiency of the energy cycle, Americans greatly underestimate the importance of energy. Finally, there is poor time management. Time is arguably one of the most valuable (if not the most valuable) resources known to man, and yet Americans seem to have mastered the ability known as "time wasting." Has the answer already been revealed? Yes, there it is, in the last sentence. The answer is waste, if you haven't figured that out yet. Americans are some of the most wasteful people in the world. By throwing away everything from food to money to time, Americans waste not only their own, but sometimes others' as well. America is a very gluttonous country. On an annual basis, the average American can consume a total of 1 TON (or 2,000 pounds) of food. However, the real problem comes before and after the meal. In total, America loses 40% of the food it produces, from farm to landfill. This shows that in 1 ton of food, we lose 800 kilos, which is in waste...... middle of paper ...... English is the love of material things. This “love of material things” causes the majority of people to spend money carelessly, always buying things that they believe make them “happy.” In a study by 24/7 Wall Street, there are 10 things that the "average" American household spends almost 15% of their annual income on. These ten items are, in descending order (in number and not in price): (10) "Clothing products and services" (5) "Accommodation, vacation homes and hotels"; (9) "Tobacco" (4) "Animals pets, toys, leisure and playground equipment;(8) “Non-essential entertainment equipment and services” (3) “Television, radio and sound equipment”;(7) “Alcohol”;(2) “Gifts”; and (6) “Fees and Admissions”; (1) “Food Away from Home” These ten categories are what 24/7 Wall Street thinks the “average” American is for. spends the most money..