Youth in UAE Draw Attention to Reduce Food Print

It is imperative that I highlight and draw attention and ask the readers to think about ‘we throw away over 1/3 of all food that is produced, wasting precious land and water resources that have gone into its production. Food waste in landfills is one of the biggest contributors of the harmful gases that cause global warming. Warmer temperatures are melting glaciers causing sea levels to rise, threatening small islands and low lying cities around the world.’

Celebrating World Environment Day-5th June and World Oceans Day-8thJune, SynergY youth group in Dubai made a promise for the ocean by planting 50 trees at Green Mountain MRF supported by Dubai Municipality at the landfill area in Dubai on 7th June'2014. The Members also took interesting selfies near the ocean to seal their pledge posing everyone to take pledge and ‘reduce food waste’ because this is the only way to make a difference in lives of our future generation.  SynergY youth group has worked on grass-root level projects to raise awareness and fight against food waste which campaigns for reducing landfills. Making use of the Information and Communication Technology SynergY has innovatively used tools like videos, blogs, e-mails and shared the work on the social media to ‘reduce the food waste’. SynergY has raised awareness and environmental education through events, lectures, presentations about reducing waste that is filling the landfills and also planting trees and greening the landfill areas. Nearly 1200 trees have been planted at various landfill and waste management sites in a short span in Dubai and 50 more added today.

“We ask everyone to help reduce the "FOODprint" by managing the meals smartly, storing food, using leftovers, buying imperfect vegetables and encouraging the supermarkets and restaurants to cut their food waste”, is the message disseminated by the members of this group.

Mr. Sadin Ismail Al Falasi, Acting Head of Treatment Systems Unit from Waste Management Department, Dubai Municipality was present at the event to support and encourage the children in their endeavors.

The group celebrated the World Environment Day by visiting the exhibition "Your Planet Needs You" that encourages a scientific look into the future of Dubai should we choose to take care of or ignore our environment. The visit to this exhibition gave a glimpse into Dubai 2050 as to how citizen of Dubai will survive global changes such as resource availability and the climate.