“Imagine walking out of a grocery store with four bags of groceries, dropping one in the parking lot, and just not bothering to pick it up. That’s essentially what we’re doing.” Dana Gunders

Most scientific findings agree that approximately a third of the food we produce each year goes to waste.

This is a global problem that has far-reaching consequences for our environment, society and economy. Most pressingly, with millions of people living in poverty, there is a horrible discord that so much food in richer countries ends up as waste.

At IMI, we recognise the extent of this problem and want to do our best to educate our students and give them strategies to help tackle it. Our regular ‘Anti-Food Waste Week’ is where we share materials, statistics and recycling and conservation methods to help our students make more ethical decisions when it comes to food consumption.

During the week, we open our ‘Food Waste Jail’ where anyone who does not finish their lunch plate ends up (without a trial!). This is a lighter-hearted way of trying to convey a serious point and our hope is that it makes each individual students and staff member spend a little bit more time considering their choices.

Of course, to tackle the problem in a meaningful way will require the cooperation of governments, international organisations and big business; however, we hold on to the maxim that change starts with one individual and the more awareness and publicity that is brought to the issue, the more likely change is to filter upwards to a global level.

So, next time you are food shopping, cooking at home or ordering in a restaurant, ask yourself “how much do I actually need?” and, in this way, we can hopefully start to fight back against this most serious of global threats.

Further reading:

Food Waste Statistics

Living on Food Waste

Recycle Now – What to do with Food Waste

A threat and an opportunity – how business can reduce waste and increase profit