The Abu Dhabi Environment Agency has begun a campaign to ensure that food waste will be reduced during the Ramadan holiday.
During Ramadan in Abu Dhabi figures indicate that at least 500 tonnes of food are thrown away. According to statements made by the environment chief yesterday, the Environment Agency will launch a programme entitled “Think Before You Waste”.
EAD’s secretary general, Majidal Mansouri said that culturally the holiday places an emphasis on providing large feasts to celebrate the special month. However, he said the waste food was not environmentally sustainable. He added that the best way to reduce excess food waste was for families to cook less or think twice before taking more food than can be consumed.
Food waste has been contributing to global climate change as much of the food is sent to landfill producing dangerous accumulations of methane, said the EAD’s executive director, Abdulnasser al Shamsi. He added that while lots of food products are traditionally believed to be biodegradable, the non-consumption of such foods means that they rot without cultivation or production leading to methane build-up and wastes of resources like energy, materials for packaging and water.
The campaign will also seek to remind public participants that the Quran urges Muslims to avoid wasting precious resources. The initiative will include a quote from the passage that warns against drinking and eating in excess.
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