3 Easy Steps to Participate in Stop Food Waste Day

Is food waste really that big of a problem to warrant an entire day dedicated to fighting it? Sure, wasting food on an individual level should be a relatively small issue. But combine the waste of the entire nation (and the globe!) and we get a massive problem that’s hard to stomach.

 

Step 1: Be aware of the problem

So yes, food waste IS that big of a problem. But how big is it exactly? Let’s break it down. The FAO of the United Nations explains it well in this short clip.
 
 

The food we consume have to pass through many hands before reaching our dining tables. Unfortunately, losses are incurred at every stage of the process.  And as explained in the video, food waste is deeply entrenched in all levels of the industry!

Here are some quick bites about food waste.

  • Did you know that Singapore generated 791,000 whopping tonnes of food waste in 2016 alone! That’s equivalent to two bowls of rice per person a day.

  • On a global scale, 40% of our food goes uneaten. Picture throwing one-third of the food on your plate away! Calculate the numbers and you get  1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted every year.

  • Combine all our wasted food and it becomes the third largest emitter of GHG in the world!

  • The author of of Wasted Food narrowed down the 3 main factors of food waste to: abundance, beauty and cost.

  • At the retail level, large quantities of food are wasted due to quality standards that over-emphasize appearance.

How much food do you throw out as a consumer?  Would you throw out a basket of strawberries you just bought from the supermarket? 

Pretty tragic right? Like all of the food we consume, these strawberries travelled a pretty long way to reach our tables, only to end up in our trash bins because we forget about them.

Many of us don’t think twice about tossing leftovers away or discarding produce that’s left in the fridge for too long. Multiply the impact across all households in the country and we have on our hands one of the biggest contributors to climate change.

 

Step 2: Act now

When food waste happens on such a massive scale, it can be difficult to know where to start. However, we know that baby steps are the way to go. Here are some simple ways you can start acting now!

  • Buy only what you need with shopping lists and planning your meals in advance. Click here and here for useful tools that we feel make this process fun and easy!

  • Store your food properly. Here’s a comprehensive list of how to store all kinds of produce.

  • Freezing is a great way to prolong the lifespan of your food. Master the art of freezing here.

  • Treat expiration dates as suggestions/guidelines, not the law.

  • Manage your food waste at home with apps such as No waste and

  • Buy meals from restuarants and food stalls at discounted prices with 11th Hour and treatsure.

  • Hosting a party for your colleagues or a get-together with friends? We recommend the really awesome Guest-imator: it helps you calculate how much food to prepare for your guests and even puts your menu, shopping list and recipes together!

 

Step 3: Spread the word

Food involves all of us. Everyone has a part to play in this ecosystem. You can do yours by simply spreading the word.

 

Bonus step: For the aspiring food waste warriors

For those who ask, “how can I do more?”, we’d love for you to come on board as a food waste warrior.

Here at TreeDots, reducing food waste is at the centre of whatever we do. We help society target one of the biggest contributors to food waste- those at the top of the supply chain. By redirecting excess food stocks from big players such as food importers, suppliers and distributers to businesses, we’re helping to unlock the value of food that would have otherwise gone to waste.

Looking for cheap food or the best food bargains? We’re the place for you.

 

Are you a business owner or have a company in mind that you’d like us to reach out to? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. We’d be happy to hear from you.