Clean your plate – to reduce food loss and waste

In fact, throwing out lunchtime leftovers or wilted lettuce only adds to the mountain of discarded food decomposing in landfills that produces the powerful greenhouse gas methane, accounting for some eight to 10 per cent of global emissions. This includes spoiled crops – food that is lost after harvest and before even reaching stores. A billion meals wastedEvery day, over a billion meals are left uneaten, whether due to excess food production, spoilage or poor meal planning, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The issue is in the spotlight on the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, observed on 29 September – convened by UNEP and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This year, focus is on the link with protecting forests and ensuring sustainable agrifood systems. “Using the food we already produce more efficiently can reduce pressure on land and forests and help feed more people,” said Michael Muratha, a Programme Manager at UNEP, speaking from its headquarters in Nairobi. Moreover, having healthy forests also support food production in several ways, including by protecting soils and regulating rainfall. Cold comfortUNEP is highlighting ho...