Ahhhh, Italy! The birthplace of pizza and pasta!
Italy has an abundance of food, and where there’s food, there’s also food waste- that’s never a good thing.
Global Citizen reports that Italy is trying to end food waste by asking businesses that sell food to not throw away the unsold food, but to give them to charity instead! This idea has been so well-received that all the political parties within the government are supporting the bill and the next step now is to get the businesses to comply.
France is also in the middle of this step, and are now enforcing a very big fine for businesses that do not obey the law.
However, Italy is taking a different approach to this matter. Instead of penalties, they will incentivise the new initiative by giving garbage collection tax breaks to businesses taking part! In order for that to happen, the businesses will record the amount of food that they have given away so that it is easier for the government also la!
This is a very big and positive development, and people from the EU and USA are trying to get similar bills passed in their own countries as well. A French politician wants this so bad that he is actually trying to pass this law Europe-wide! He says:
“The problem is simple – we have food going to waste and poor people who are going hungry.”
And in support of this movement, chefs around the world are experimenting with dishes using food scraps! Soooo, the question is, Malaysia bila?
According to Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) deputy chief executive officer Mohammad Diah Wahari, Malaysians threw away 16,688 tonnes of food daily in 2018 and the numbers actually increased 15-20% during festive seasons, reported NST. He said:
The amount of food wastage in Malaysia is enough to feed 12 million people three times a day.
So guys, rather than just asking the government to do something about this, we also need to do our part. Start a petition, raise awareness and practice what you preach! That’s how we can make our society progress!
In the meantime, how about sharing this article to your friends and family to spread the message?
Also read: Malaysia’s Super Rare Hornbill is Nearly Extinct But Is Still Hunted Down by Poachers