Source: Kinga Warda¸ PKF Malta¸ June 2013

World Environment Day (WED) is held every year on 5th June to raise global awareness of the need to take positive environmental action. Each year¸ WED is hosted in a different city with a different theme for one week. The theme of the event emphasizes the importance of protecting our planet. The theme for this year edition’s Think.Eat.Save.Reduce Your Foodprint.

The aim of the event is to raise awareness in terms of food waste and food lose to encourages people to reduce our footprint. As United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states: “every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted. This is equivalent to the same amount produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time¸ 1 in every 7 people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20¸000 children under the age of 5 die daily from hunger”.

The data gathered by National Statistics Office in Malta¸ presented in press release¸ confirms that the average food waste generation in Maltese households is 55.9 per cent. In addition¸ more than fifth of the food purchased weekly ends up in the solid waste stream. It leads us to the conclusion that all the resources and inputs used in the production of these foods are lost. The FAO gives the statistics that about 1¸000 litres of water is necessary to produce 1 litre of milk.

The impact of food waste is not just financial. Environmentally¸ food waste leads to wasteful use of chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides¸ ore fuel used for transportation; and more rotting food. [1]

The TuneMalta team encourages you to celebrate the World Environmental Day and brings your attention to environmental issues!

Each of us can get involved and make a difference.

 

Think before you eat and help save our environment!