A morsel of rice thrown here, a bag of stale chips discarded there — food waste is ubiquitous. But just how bad is the problem?
Denisa Fainis, a 26-year-old business executive, shone a light on the issue.
The Romanian national won a grant of Dh50,000 in the Philadelphia Creativity for a Cause competition earlier this year and is on track to start a network for the redistribution of wasted food from the hospitality sector to labour camps, mosques and shelters in the UAE.
She said the issue of global food wastage is one that needs to be addressed immediately.
Fainis said: “According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and the World Resources Institute, approximately one third of all food produced worldwide, worth around $1 trillion (Dh3.67 trillion) gets lost or wasted in food production and consumption systems.”
The situation in the region is just as bad.
In Dubai alone, uneaten food makes up approximately 40 per cent of domestic waste that ends up in the landfills, according to Fainis.
She said: “A worrisome percentage of residents throw away food every week and the hospitality sector throws away at least a couple of hundred kilograms daily. It’s in the culture of people to cook more to make sure there’s always enough food. In addition, a large percentage of people here throw away food close to expiry date.”
So what can people do to reduce the impact of waste on a micro level?
Fainis said: “Gain awareness and think on a larger scale. Exercise proper planning with shopping lists so you know exactly what’s needed — it also helps with the budget. Rotate items in your fridge and bring old items to the front. Use the leftovers and freeze items you’re not likely to eat soon.”
The young entrepreneur’s effort in doing her part is just taking off.
About her food redistribution initiative, Fainis said: “I received great support from people close to me, and those who have read about my initiative. My goal is to link all these volunteers with the professional groups that serve food at their premises, like hotels, airlines, malls, and so on. I plan to initiate it in Dubai, followed by other emirates, and then expand throughout the whole of the Gulf region. Why not?”
- The writer is an intern with the Readers Desk of the newspaper
