Everytime you buy an apple and do not eat it, you are wasting 4.5 buckets of water. For that is how much it takes to grow just one apple. Imagine then the scale of water, land, soil, resources and human effort it takes to grow every grain, fruit, vegetable, dairy and meat product on Earth. And then imagine how much of all these vital resources are squandered every minute, hour and day as we wilfully waste food that is grown to be consumed. Food wastage is one of the most critical problems the world faces and it is entirely because of the apathy of the haves while the have nots cannot even hope for one square meal a day.

In the UAE, the figures on food wastage are shocking, particularly during Ramadan. In Dubai, 38 per cent of the food consumed every day is wasted, while during Ramadan, it climbs to 55 per cent. In Abu Dhabi, 33 per cent of the waste generated each year comprises food. The Gulf Cooperation Council countries rank among the top nations in the world so far as food wastage is concerned. The rule seems to be: If you can afford it, you can throw it away too.

With water being projected as a depleting natural resource for the planet, and more so for the region, the future could literally leave us high and dry if we do not curb our flagrantly wasteful tendencies. Every drop, every grain and every penny count. The more we waste them, the poorer we will be for it. Sooner rather than later.