Don’t throw away that food: Food wastage and playing our part

Help needy people in our communities and help our natural environment by reducing your food waste, and donating your time to Food Bank Singapore.

I cleaned out my fridge this week. Four grey rashers of bacon, an expired and unopened jar of tom yum paste, a bowl of cooked penne pasta, a half-drunk carton of orange juice, one mushy cucumber and a sorry-looking piece of yellow broccoli all went into the rubbish bin. I wish I could say that this was unusual. That we wasted this food just this one time, because we had been away for the long weekend and simply hadn’t been here to eat it, but I would be lying. Whether it be uneaten leftovers, expired goods or the result of changed plans, throwing away food is a common theme in our household. And, we aren’t the only ones. ​

One third of the food that the world produces ends up in the rubbish bin. 

Every year, we are throwing away enough food to cover the land mass of China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Not only is this costing US$ 750 billion, but it’s having a devastating impact on our environment. Our greenhouse gases are rising, climate is changing, forests are being cleared and land eroded, surface and ground water is being used, and bees and other biodiversities are dying. It doesn’t stop there, as we use the world’s natural resources to grow, process, package and transport all this wasted food, we are contributing to the loss of livelihoods and to rising conflicts, as well as harming human health through the use of pesticides. ​

Nine out of ten Singaporeans are concerned about food waste

More than 790,000 tonnes of food waste were generated in Singapore last year. That’s around 140 kilos of food per person. Or, the equivalent of throwing away two bowls of rice every day. If we carry on throwing food away at the rate that we are then Singapore will need a new incineration plant every seven to ten years, and a new landfill every 30 to 35 years. If we could reduce how much food we waste by just 15%, it would be like taking 86,000 cars off the road. ​

Volunteers wanted to help the Food Bank Singapore!

As we waste food, one in eight people worldwide go hungry every day

We don’t hear about it very often, but there are people going hungry in Singapore too. The Food Bank Singapore is a charity that aims to make food that would otherwise be wasted available to those who need it, low-income or single-parent families, the elderly or people with disabilities, for example. They collect donated and excess food from farms, manufacturers, distributors, retail stores, consumers, and other sources, which they then store in the centralised warehouse. From here, the Food Bank distributes the unwanted food to a network of 130 community agencies.

Food Bank Singapore helps to “make life better for those who are having it rough” 
Gerard Ee, Executive Director, Beyond Social Services

Beyond Social Services helps children and youths from less privileged backgrounds to break away from the poverty cycle. Thanks to Food Bank, Beyond Social Services is able to provide monthly food donations to needy families. Ramakrishna Mission Boys’ Home receives raw and uncooked food items, like rice, from the Food Bank, helping not only to reduce otherwise wasted food, but redirecting precious funds towards the boys’ education, health or clothing.

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​How can we help?

We all have our part to play, individual consumers, farmers, fishers, food processors, supermarkets, local and national governments alike. As consumers, we can be smarter when we do our grocery shopping, avoid serving too much, save and eat leftovers, and and keep an eye on expiry dates. If we can’t reduce wasted food then we can donate it to Food Bank.

And, we can also donate our time. Food Bank Singapore needs your help to store and pack food in the warehouse in Tanjong Pagar. This is your opportunity to help play a key role in reducing food wastage in Singapore.

So next time you go to throw that half-eaten burger that your kid left in Macdonalds, toss that bruised tomato for a more attractive one, or can’t be bothered to reheat last night’s dinner, consider the bigger picture, think about what impact your actions are having, and then become a Food Banker.

For more information about volunteering with Food Bank Singapore, click here.  

Author

Emma Nobes