It really hurts immensely when I see people wasting food and water when there are children dying due to malnutrition, in developing countries. Mainly from restaurants and homes, we are all guilty of cooking more than we require, with many of us ordering different dishes to satisfy our taste buds, even though it ultimately goes in the garbage.
It starts with us. If we think twice, before we start preparing food, we could reduce the amount of waste. Each and every one of us should take this blame, not only as responsible citizens, but as good human beings, to step forward towards being healthy and helping our environment.
I appreciated Gulf News’ efforts to reduce food waste during Ramadan. I always take out a small portion of my prepared food and freeze it before serving, instead of having leftovers.
The Emirates Environment Group (EEG) and the Municipality should encourage restaurant owners to reduce wastage. There wouldn’t be as many leftovers by people, if they just ordered less or made a note to save a portion of their food before they even begin eating. When I dine with my family, I always think of keeping one bowl of excess food on the side, and I take from this when I feel like having more. When I’m done eating, I have already taken out the food I want, and have not contaminated any remaining food from the start. Thus, leaving a portion of food untouched that will be a blessing for those who can’t afford such a delicious variety of food or even a single dish.
- The reader is a student based in Dubai.
