Food for Thought

Do you know close to 1 billion people don’t have enough to eat? The UN recently warned that rising food prices could lead to riots but even more shocking, considering the circumstances, is the amount of good food we waste!

 

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According to a study by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), one-third of the world’s food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted each year!

Independent American filmmaker Jeremy Seifert explored food wastage in the US in the award-winning documentary ‘Dive.’ Jeremy and a few of his friends rummaged through dumpsters behind gated garbage receptacles of L.A.’s supermarkets and found thousands of dollars’ worth of perfectly edible food.

“Gross!” would be most people’s immediate response but the ground-breaking documentary isn’t trying to encourage people to dive into dumpsters in search of supper, but aims to inspire businesses and individuals to rethink what they throw away. Watch the trailer below…

If you don’t want to be a part of the throw-away culture, here are a few ways you can lessen food waste pouring into landfills, save money and help feed people who don’t have the means.

Be a conscious shopper

How often have you come home from the shops to find you’ve bought a few things you already had while forgetting the things you really needed? It’ annoying and when it comes to food, it usually means an increase in waste. Fortunately the solution will save you time and money!

Simply keep a note pad in the kitchen and when something runs out, write it down. By the end of the week you’ll have a detailed shopping list to ensure you’ll buy only what you need.

Spring clean the kitchen

Clean out your fridge, cupboards and pantry regularly. If you see something is near its expiration date, either use it quickly or donate it local soup kitchen.

Forgotten and rotten

If fruit or veg spoils, add it to a compost heap or worm farm instead of throwing it in the bin (and into South Africa’s landfills). And you’ll be able to add organic compost to your garden without it costing you an extra cent!

Sources: Oxfam, Guardian UK and Dive, the film

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