Who? Me? I Waste?
One person’s food scraps may be another person’s meal
Food for the needy: A student volunteer ties up bags of food supplements that were raised in a food donation drive held in Saint Andrew’s Junior College.
WHEN The older generation admonishes the younger ones to finish the food on their plates, there is logic in that.
As the world shares the same resources, the same land used in producing food crops for wealthy countries could be used in growing affordable food for poorer nations.
“In a globalised food system, where we are all buying food from the same international market place, when we waste food unnecessarily, we’re taking food out of the mouths of the poor,” says Tristram Stuart, author of Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal, in an email interview.
The 32-year-old Briton calculated that one billion malnourished people could be fed with less than one-quarter of the food wasted in the US, the UK and Europe.
There is no need to look beyond the national border to see hunger at home.
There are at least 11,000 needy individuals in Singapore who receive supplementary food rations from Food From The Heart, a voluntary welfare organisation that channels unsold bread to the needy.
“If you can’t afford three meals a day and always go to school hungry, anything that is food is very valuable,” says Christine Laimer, 48, founder of Food From The Heart.
Adds Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio Group Representative Constituency and Adviser to Nee Soon South Grassroots Organisations Lee Bee Wah, 49, at one of Food From The Heart’s distribution drives, “We need to constantly bring up the awareness that there’s this segment of Singaporeans who don’t have enough to eat.”
In the US and the UK, the findings of food wastage have caused much furore among citizens and have sparked a slew of movements.
Feeding America, the US’s largest hunger-relief organisation, has a network of over 200 member food banks and rescues edibles to feed more than 37 million Americans each year.
In December 2009, author and food waste campaigner Mr Stuart organised Feeding The 5,000 Campaign and received much public support.
The event served free lunch for 5,000 people made entirely from food that would have otherwise been wasted.
It would be, however, difficult for Singapore to emulate what is done in the US and the UK given limited awareness, support and resources.
Founder and directive director of anti-hunger youth collective Food For All, Heather Chi, 22, finds that there are not enough people in Singapore to launch a food waste movement in the same scale of those countries.
“To get to the bottom of curbing food waste, people have to first start taking a bit more interest in the food system,” says Ms Chi.
People define cultural and social practices and Mr Bloom believes that it is possible to reduce the amount of food thrown away.
“We all squander food, and our cultural practices prompt waste. Similarly, it’s up to each of us to try to reduce what is wasted,” he says.
Very interesting case of culture/heritage vs practicality. Perhaps its time to re-think what is important, having food for future generations or creating a good impression on guests.
In the restaurant, I think most of the rich and picky people tend to waste more food. It is because they are capable to spend without thinking and when they eat, they will only finish the food that suit their taste buds. If not, they will just have a couple of bites and they will just leave the food there and call for the bill.
I wonder, is there any way to make people think twice about leaving food on the table. Perhaps a food remaining surcharge?
Anyone got an good ideas?
I was thinking for those food wasted on offering, maybe we can link IUT up with them so that at least they can recycle those food waste.
I know this is an inferior solution but some devotees have religious beliefs that don’t encourage them to bring back the food meant for praying.
Trying to change beliefs in religion will be an uphill battle.
I don’t know about the rest but we always consume the offerings after prayers. Love the picnics in the cemetery, its quiet serene and its a good place to enjoy the with your family while remembering the loved ones who has left first.
It’s a great idea to get the temples to link up with IUT. Since it’s difficult to change fundamental beliefs (in the case of using and consuming food offerings in religious events), I guess an alternative would be to dispose food waste the ‘right’ way.
Pertaining to offerings for religious ceremonies, maybe we need people from the various religious groups to come out and explain to us what the religion’s stand is on food wastage resulting from such events? After all, I feel that devotees will be more willing to listen to their leaders versus those outside their own religion.
As for ordering too much, yup, we should always try to order less first & then top-up if necessary. This may mean less profits for stalls & restaurants, but a better conscience for consumers & better for the Earth too!
“While leftovers are aplenty, not all functions allow guests to doggie-bag the food as the practice is seen to go against social norms.”
Social norms can be changed with time if enough people decide to take action. So start today & with yourself. Ask your friends to join in too!