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How food waste is affecting our wildlife and ecosystems - GRUNDIG - Respect Food

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As a global brand with an eco-conscious, Grundig takes responsibility for society and our planet. That's why we want people to enjoy good food-and respect it. One of the biggest issues: food waste.

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Food Loss refers to a decrease in the quantity and quality of food, which occurs during production, harvesting, post-harvest handling, processing and distribution of food. Food loss takes place at the beginning of the food supply chain.

Food Losses include:

By-products or secondary products that are meant to be consumed by people, but which cannot be processed because of technical limitations, or because of the lack of access to a market, and are therefore discarded or used for purposes other than for food.

Food that is fit to enter the food supply chain, but which is intentionally discarded or used for purposes other than food (e.g. used as feed or is left to rot in the field) before harvest.

Food that is spoiled before it is harvested.

Food Waste refers to food losses that result from discarding food that is fit for human consumption. It occurs at the end of the supply chain, such as in the household, in restaurants and in supermarkets.

Food Waste includes

Food that is discarded through sorting and grading without getting spoiled (e.g. fruits and vegetables that are discarded because they are too small, too large or of the wrong size or shape).

Food that is left on the plate and which is redirected for use as animal feed or compost.

Every year, approximately 1/3 or 33% of all food produced in the world is lost or wasted. In Asia and the Pacific Region, between 15 and 50% of the fruits, and 12-30% of grains are lost between the producer and the market.

WHY THE SAVE FOOD ASIA-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN?

Critical issues in the region

Post-harvest losses account for a majority of the food loss sustained in developing countries across Asia and the Pacific region. Between 15 and 50 percent of fruits and vegetables and up to 30 percent of grains produced across Asia and the Pacific region are lost between the farm and the market.

The underlying causes of post-harvest losses in these chains include a lack of production planning, pest infestations and diseases, poor and inadequate infrastructure such as roads, water, power and market facilities, lack of dedicated transport systems for food and poor quality bulk packaging that result in spillage and damage. The limited knowledge base of stakeholders also contributes to the high levels of post-harvest loss.

While food waste is prevalent in the more developed economies of the region, it is a growing problem in the urban centres of many countries in Asia and the Pacific. On average, approximately 11kg of food per capita per year is wasted in developing Asian countries, while an estimated 80 kg of food per capita per year is waste in developed Asian countries (FAO, 2011).

Sustainability issues - To feed the region's growing population, increasing pressure will be placed on already scarce land and water resources. Greater attention needs to be placed on resource efficiency - by decreasing food losses and food waste - to meet the region's demand for food now and in the future.

"If we can help food producers to reduce losses through better harvesting, processing, storage, transport and marketing methods, and combine this with profound and lasting changes in the way people consume food, then we can have a healthier and hunger-free world".

Graziano da Silva

Director-General

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

IMPACTS OF FOOD LOSSES AND FOOD WASTE

Food losses and food waste have negative environmental, economic and social impacts. They represent a missed opportunity to feed the region's growing population, with potentially negative impacts on the sustainability of food systems and on food security and nutrition.

Food losses and food waste represent a major waste of resources - of labour, land, water, fuel and other resources used in food production - and are a source of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.

Promoting sustainable consumption can, however, help in mitigating these impacts, through reducing resource use, degradation and pollution caused by food losses and food waste, while increasing the quality of life for all.

Food losses and food waste have negative economic impacts for all stakeholders in the supply chain. They lower incomes of producers and increase the price of food for consumers. Reducing food losses and food waste would, therefore, provide economic benefits for both producers and consumers.

QUESTIONS-AND-ANSWERS WITH MR. Q

LEARN MORE

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Food Loss refers to a decrease in the quantity and quality of food, which occurs during production, harvesting, post-harvest handling, processing and distribution of food. Food loss takes place at the beginning of the food supply chain.

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3 simple rules to turn food waste into good taste | Daisy Scholte | TEDxFryslân

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Food Waste: Breaking the habit | Fiona Jongejans | TEDxMaastricht

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It may sound almost ridiculous, but that doesn't make it less true. While 4.6 billion euros worth of food is thrown away in the Netherlands every year, 1.4 million people in our country live below the poverty line and cannot afford a sufficiently healthy diet.

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Stop wasting food: Selina Juul at TEDxCopenhagen 2012

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Dean Ornish: The killer American diet that's sweeping the planet

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Forget the latest disease in the news: Cardiovascular disease kills more people than everything else combined -- and it's mostly preventable. Dr. Dean Ornish explains how changing our eating habits can save lives.

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Mark Bittman: What's wrong with what we eat

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In this fiery and funny talk, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what's wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants; too much fast food, too little home cooking), and why it's putting the entire planet at risk.

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Western countries throw out nearly half of their food, not because it’s inedible -- but because it doesn’t look appealing. Tristram Stuart delves into the shocking data of wasted food, calling for a more responsible use of global resources.

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SINGAPORE - The average Singapore household throws away about $170 worth of food and beverage a year, amounting to more than $200 million annually, according to a latest survey commissioned by appliance maker Electrolux Singapore.

The survey results, released on Monday (Oct 16) in conjunction with World Food Day, also showed that 85 per cent of households do not consume food before the indicated date on the packages, contributing to a growing food waste problem in Singapore.

Food waste accounts for about 10 per cent of the total waste generated in Singapore and has increased by more than 40 per cent in the past 10 years.

It rose from 542,700 tonnes in 2006 to more than 790,000 tonnes last year, which is equivalent to two bowls of rice per person a day. Only 14 per cent of food waste is recycled.

The survey commissioned by the Swedish company last month (Sept17) polled 1,000 households and was part of the company's annual community initiative since 2015, called #HappyPlateSG, to raise awareness on food waste.

The people polled were aged between 18-65, and were representative of the population according to factors such as household income, household size, and age group.

The survey showed that 72 per cent of households know that food that has passed by its expiry date did not necessarily mean it is unfit for consumption.

They could attribute the meanings of "Best Before", "Sell By" and 'Expires On", which mean: a guide to how long a product can retain its peak quality and freshness; a reference for sellers to let them know how long an item can be displayed for sale; and to indicate when there's a health risk in eating an item after that date respectively.

Separately, 58 per cent said they would continue eating the product if it were frozen, vacuum sealed and stored well, and showed no signs of turning bad.

When told of the amount of food waste generated by the country, 84 per cent were shocked, guilty, sad or angry while 10 per cent said they were indifferent.

Households polled were more cautious in consuming dairy, meat, and seafood products that have passed their expiry compared to dried goods.

Mr Douglas Chua, general manager of Electrolux Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, said that the focus for this year is on food in storage. It was the third time the survey was done, with the focus in past years being on food that looked 'ugly' or unappealing for consumption, and on reasons for wasted food in homes.

"Often, we buy food, store them, but end up forgetting to consume them before their indicated dates on the packaging. This results in their eventual disposal."

"We want to encourage behavioural change that will allow for greater food sustainability and reduced waste."

Mr Eric Low, chef-owner of culinary consultancy Lush Epicurean, said: "Managing food nearing or have passed the indicated date is on a case-by-case basis. Different categories of food do not deteriorate at the same rate.

"Storage methods such as optimal temperature, frozen and vacuum sealing also help prolong the food lifespan."

For more information about the initiative and the survey results, visit the microsite happyplate.sg.

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$200m worth of food and beverage waste discarded by Singapore households yearly: Survey

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SINGAPORE - The average Singapore household throws away about $170 worth of food and beverage a year, amounting to more than $200 million annually, according to a latest survey commissioned by appliance maker Electrolux Singapore.

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print Home Energy & Waste 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Food Waste Management Food Waste Management Strategies

Strategy 1: Prevent and reduce food wastage at source

The preferred way to manage food waste is to avoid wasting food at the onset.

In 2014, NEA and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) commissioned a survey to understand consumer behaviour and attitudes towards food wastage. Findings revealed that food gone out of date was the top reason for food wastage in households along with other reasons such as mouldy food and food that looked, smelled or tasted bad. More information on the consumer survey can be found here.

Following the findings from the consumer survey, NEA launched an outreach programme in November 2015 to encourage the adoption of smart food purchase, storage and preparation habits that help consumers save money while reducing food wastage at source. Since its launch, NEA has further developed the programme to enhance and expand its initiatives.

The outreach programme features educational materials publicised on newspapers, television and through community-led initiatives, which included an educational skit, as well as a resource package for schools. To date, NEA has collaborated with more than 20 premises, including supermarkets, food retail establishments, schools and other private organisations to display educational materials on their premises encouraging consumers to cherish and not waste food.

Below is a list of the collaterals which have been developed for the food wastage reduction outreach programme.

A7 Fridge magnets

A6 Table-top standee

18cm by 13cm table top stickers

H2.3m by W3.6m Pop-up banner (Schools)

H2.3m by W3.6m Pop-up banner (Community)

Table game box

Everyone is encouraged to play an active role and to motivate friends and family to reduce food wastage at home. For easy-to-do and useful tips on how to reduce food wastage at home and when dining out, members of the public can download an online handy guide ( Love Your Food - A Handy Guide to Reducing Food Wastage and Saving Money [PDF, 4.82 Mb]). The guide provides useful suggestions on meal planning, food storage, as well as recipes and innovative ideas on how to use leftover food to create tasty dishes.

In 2016, NEA held a 'Love Your Food' Recipe Contest that encouraged the public to submit creative recipes that make use of common types of leftover food. The top four winners had their recipes developed into a video series, which can be viewed on the Clean & Green Singapore's Facebook and YouTube platforms. The top 20 winners also had their recipes featured in the updated online handy guide.

In addition, NEA and Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has worked with various industry stakeholders to develop food waste minimisation guidebook for food retail establishments, supermarkets and food manufacturing establishments to reduce food waste across the supply chain. Click on the following guides to find out more.

Food Waste Minimisation Guidebook for Food Retail Establishments [PDF, 4.23 Mb]
Food Waste Minimisation Guidebook for Supermarkets [PDF, 5.88 Mb]

Food Waste Minimisation Guidebook for Food Manufacturing Establishments [PDF, 4.26 Mb]
Organisations who wish to embark on their own FWR programmes or collaborate with NEA for outreach programmes can contact us for more information. Possible areas for collaboration include:

a) Publicity
Organisations could leverage on their publicity platforms (e.g. social media platforms, webpage, notice boards) to raise awareness on and promote FWR. NEA could work with organisations to develop relevant content if required.

b) Starting a FWR outreach programme
Organisations can implement their own FWR outreach programme. Organisations may also wish to train their staff to be Food Wastage Reduction Ambassadors (FWRAs), to lead outreach programmes within the organisation. NEA could work with organisations to support the programmes or train staff to be FWRAs.

Organisations who are in the food retail business or manages food retail establishments (e.g. staff canteens, cafes) can consider adopting of FWR practices (e.g. encouraging food retail establishments to offer consumers options to downsize food portions) in the food waste minimisation guidebook. More FWR practices can be found in the Food Waste Minimisation Guidebook for Food Retail Establishments and Supermarkets.

c) Collaterals
Organisations can request for collateral materials bearing FWR messaging (e.g. posters, table-top stickers) to be placed within the food retail establishments, canteens, pantries etc. The minimum display period for the collaterals is 3 months. Other collateral materials such as a pop-up banner and table games are also available for rent for organisations who wish to implement FWR outreach programmes. More information on the rental of these items can be found here.

More details on the various collaboration opportunities could be found in this Sign-Up form [PDF, 257 kb]. Interested organisations can complete the form and email the completed form to the NEA representatives listed below:

a) Ms Queenie Wong (DID: 6708 6069, Email: queenie_wong@nea.gov.sg)
b) Mr Nathanael Sim (DID: 6708 6069, Email: nathanael_sim@nea.gov.sg)

"Love Your Food @ Schools" Projects
As part of NEA's efforts to encourage youth to cherish food and take action to reduce food wastage, NEA has launched a two-year project, 'Love Your Food @ Schools' which introduces a closed-loop food waste management system at 10 participating schools.

The project aims to encourage students and staff to reduce the amount of food waste they generate and to garner the participation of students, staff and canteen stall holders to segregate their food waste for treatment using on-site food waste digesters. To further spread awareness of the importance of food waste minimization and recycling, students will engage neighbouring schools and their community partners to host learning journeys to their schools and share information on their efforts. Compost generated from the treatment of their food waste will also be distributed during these learning journeys and to community gardens.

More information about the 'Love Your Food @ Schools' project could be found here.

Strategy 2: Redistribute unsold / excess food

As part of NEA's ongoing 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) outreach effort, NEA encourages both organisations and individuals to donate their unsold and excess food to food distribution organisations.

Food manufacturers, food retail establishments and supermarkets could contact food distribution organisations to make arrangements for the donation of food. For instance, unsold and/or excess food produce can be delivered to Food Bank Singapore or Food from the Heart where they are packed and distributed to needy households.

Individuals can also play a part to reduce food waste by donating good food items which they no longer wish to consume. For example, individuals may drop off their excess non-perishable food items at various collection points. Shopping malls and offices may also wish to adopt a bank box to be placed at their premises to offer a convenient point for people to donate their unwanted yet unopened and unexpired food items.

Food-Boxes by Food Bank Singapore

For more information on the food distribution organisations, please click here.

Strategy 3: Recycle/Treat food waste

Food waste that cannot be avoided should be recycled where possible. To support successful food waste recycling, food waste must be separated from non-food waste items such as disposable cutlery as they would interfere with the recycling process. Segregation of food waste is best done at source (i.e. at the point of generation) as it is less efficient to separate it once it is mixed with general waste.

Currently, food waste that is recycled is mainly homogenous food waste from food manufacturers, such as spent yeast/grains from beer brewing, soya bean waste and bread waste, which are segregated at source and sold to recyclers for conversion into animal feed.

Some households have started composting food waste such as raw fruit and vegetable scraps using worms or making their own composting bins at home. The National Parks Board has provided some guidelines on how the public can begin their DIY composting at home.
On-site food waste segregation and treatment
In addition, several premises, including hotels, shopping malls and schools, are segregating their food waste and using on-site food waste treatment systems to convert the food waste into compost for landscaping purposes or water for non-potable use.

NEA had launched on-site food waste treatment pilots at hawker centres (e.g. Block 628 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 Market and Food Centre) to test the economic viability and operational feasibility of on-site food waste treatment systems.

Food Waste Treatment System at Block 628 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 Market and Food Centre

Click here for the list of food waste recycling facilities and on-site food waste treatment systems.

Besides the on-site food waste treatment systems, there are systems that remove the moisture content from food waste through dehydration or heating. While these systems reduce the weight and volume of food waste, they do not involve biological processes to decompose food waste. The residue is dewatered food waste and may cause odour or pest issues when it becomes wet. Thus, it is unsuitable for landscaping use.

Co-digestion of food waste and used water sludge

NEA is conducting a pilot project to assess the viability of collecting and transporting source-segregated food waste to an off-site treatment facility where the food waste is co-digested with used water sludge. Source-segregated food waste collected from various premises is transported to a demonstration facility located at the Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant.

The demonstration facility is designed to treat up to 40 tonnes of combined food waste and used water sludge daily. The process could yield more biogas from the anaerobic digestion process compared to the treatment of used water sludge alone, thereby enhancing energy recovery. The demonstration facility started taking in food waste in end 2016. If successful, the process could potentially be implemented at NEA's future Integrated Waste Management Facility and PUB's Tuas Water Reclamation Plant, which will be co-located.

Strategy 4: Recover energy

Food waste that is not recycled or treated will be disposed of at the waste-to-energy (WTE) plants for the recovery of energy.

For more information on the WTE plants, please click here.

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print Home Energy & Waste 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Food Waste Management Food Waste Management Strategies Strategy 1: Prevent and reduce food wastage at source The preferred way to manage food waste is to avoid wasting food at the onset.

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(May 2, 2018) - A UTSA business course led to a friendship and business partnership for two alumni.

Matthew Galvan '16 met Miles Lerch '16 during their junior year in a UTSA College of Business course about entrepreneurship. In the course, the undergraduates were assigned to create their own business.

The two initially wanted to create a food delivery service for college campuses. While reading up on meal prep programs and the food industry, though, they realized food waste is a serious problem. That sparked a new business idea.

Their research revealed that food waste is a challenge many schools in Texas face. Galvan learned that some school cafeterias throw away up to $200,000 worth of food annually.

The UTSA class project sparked an ingenuity inside Galvan and Lerch and, after talking it over, several ideas molded together to become their current start-up, CafeEDU.

The business offers students the opportunity to pre-select their lunch items through a phone app. The order is sent to the school so cafeteria staff know just how much food is needed to feed the students at lunchtime. The data also allows the school to see how food is being used and what is being ordered.

Galvan said so far, the business has received great feedback. The duo has presented their app to school administrators and is in talks to roll out their business in school districts across Texas.

Galvan said UTSA finance courses instructed by Ronald Sweet have come into handy as he and Lerch navigate running a business for the first time.

"UTSA prepared me and taught me how to think outside of the box, and think of different ways of doing things," said Galvan. "I learned how to think on your feet and adapt if things don't go as planned."

Galvan reiterated that the world needs more entrepreneurs, and he encourages other students to chase their business dreams.

"You're going to have to keep trying and tweaking your business plan to make it work," said Galvan. "If you have an idea, ask yourself: 'Does it help someone? Does it solve a problem?' If you answer 'yes' to both, you have a business."

Galvan said he and Lerch created their business to give back. Their hope is that the money schools save from reducing food waste can be used in better ways by going toward important educational programs to help students succeed.

Through their business, Galvan and Lerch are also involved in community outreach activities. They regularly give back to various food banks in Texas.

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UTSA alumni create an app to reduce food waste in schools

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(May 2, 2018) - A UTSA business course led to a friendship and business partnership for two alumni. Matthew Galvan '16 met Miles Lerch '16 during their junior year in a UTSA College of Business course about entrepreneurship. In the course, the undergraduates were assigned to create their own business.

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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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Infographic Poster on Food Waste in Singapore

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Food Waste Management - EcoPonics Singapore

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In line with the Singapore's initiative to become a Zero Waste Nation, we aim to provide a solution to managing food waste.

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CELEBRATE WITH US WE TURN 10! Why does hunger still exist? We put smiles back on their faces We innovate We need $$ FILL OUR SHELVES We need your help The Food Bank Singapore turns 10 this August! Join us in our celebrations and discover how you can play a part in creating a brighter, [...]

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Environment-related information such as weather, air quality (1-hr PM2.5 readings), dengue, hawker centres, recycling and others in Singapore.

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"Wah lau eh, everything also Pay and Pay! Where got money to pay for plastic bags, we very poor thing one... Free bags always free what so should be free forever, why must we pay? Our response: Sayang poor thing... we understand that our living costs in Singapore are increasing, sometimes very jialat...

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Have you ever wondered how much food is wasted? This infographic by Helpling Singapore provides an easy explanation on food wastage and how it affects Singapore.

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2.5kg of food a week wasted by each household, equal to half of all household waste: NEA study

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SINGAPORE - About 2.5kg of food waste is thrown away by an average Singapore home each week, and this makes uphalf of all waste the home disposes, a National Environment Agency (NEA) study released on Sunday (Dec 3) showed. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Ecological impacts affect all living things on Earth by altering the natural systems that enable their existence, including you and I. These impacts can be considered as most severe, as once these changes happen to our environment, they are mostly irreversible. 4 factors have been identified that directly suffer due to food wastage, and they are discussed below.

Carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases act like blankets that trap heat within the Earth's atmosphere, keeping it warm. While moderate levels of such gases are necessary for life on Earth, these levels have been steadily increasing over the past few decades. As a result, the Earth overheats, resulting in the phenomenon known as Global Warming, which brings along a whole range of devastating impacts.

To calculate the effect of food wastage on climate, carbon footprint - "the total amount of greenhouse gases (i.e. methane and nitrous oxides) emitted by a product throughout its life cycle and expressed in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents" - is calculated. This may be produced from the production phase through farming, soils and livestock, right though till the decomposition phase of wasted food products.

According the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the global carbon footprint (excluding land use change) has reached an estimated 3.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2007. The figure above puts things into perspective, where food wastage will come in third when compared with the greenhouse gas emission levels of countries around the world. This finding suggests that throwing excess food is not as innocent as it seems, and can affect life on a global scale.

In relation to food wastage, water consumption is focused on rather than withdrawal. Consumptive water use refers to water that is no longer "physically available in the immediate environment (i.e. oceans, lakes, reservoirs, etc.) as it has been"; for example, water consumed by people or animals, transpired by plants, or used in the manufacturing process of products. The water footprint , which considers the "total volume of fresh water that is used directly or indirectly to produce a product", is used to determine the extent to which food wastage affects our limited freshwater supply on Earth; specifically, blue water in agriculture, which refers to the "consumptive use of irrigation water taken from ground or surface water", is calculated.

FAO revealed that 92% of the water footprint of humanity is derived from the consumption of agricultural products, emphasising the significance of agriculture and its impact on the global water footprint. As seen in the figure above, the global blue water footprint of food wastage for agricultural production in 20 is the higher than any country in the world at about 250km 3 - enough to fill MacRitchie Reservoir almost 60,000 times!

Out of the total amount of water consumed globally, about 12 to 15% is used to produce uneaten food, either via the irrigation of crops, or late in the food supply chain through processing and distribution. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) also found that throwing out a kilogram of potatoes wastes about 500 litres of water, while throwing out the same amount of white rice wastes about 1550 litres of of water!

All of these findings suggest that wastage of agricultural food products (i.e cereal, rice, noodles) depletes our already finite source of freshwater, as it takes a lot of water to produce and process crops before they are safe for human consumption. With lesser freshwater sources available in the world, the sustainability of life on Earth will adversely be impacted.

As seen in the picture on the beginning of the " Impacts " page, a lot of food wasted goes straight to landfills to create mountains of food waste. In the United States of America, food and other organic waste products make up the second largest component in their landfills, and is the largest source of methane emission.

Wasted food also affects land indirectly by taking up space to produce these food products. To calculate the impact of food waste on land, we use the term land occupation , which refers to the "surface of land, including cropland and grassland, that is necessary to produce foodstuff; more specifically, it evaluates the surface used to produce food that does not get eaten due to wastage".

Between 20 to 30% of cropland around the world is dedicated to growing food that is wasted. From the graph above, food wastage in 2007 accounts for the second largest land area in the world, just slightly behind the Russian Federation. This means that the amount of food produced and not eaten can fill up about 1.4 billion hectares of land! Furthermore, land is a finite resource as the use of land for one purpose (i.e. agriculture) will prevent it from being used for other competing purposes (i.e. buildings, roads, etc.).

The negative impact of food wastage on land use is evident; not only are we wasting precious green spaces, we pollute our lands by discarding food that will decompose and pollute the soils. We also discount ourselves from the use of land that can be developed into more useful spaces, as development will often steer clear from landfill due to the fear of catching any infections diseases, as well as the lack of aesthetic appeal.

4. Biodiversity

The threat to biodiversity is perhaps the least obvious impact that is commonly overlooked by people when they throw excess food into the bin. Biodiversity includes all life on Earth, across genes, species and ecosystems.

In order to produce land that can be used for agriculture, large expanse of forests get deforested, stripping many animals off their natural habitat, while killing off some others in the process. This is more prominent in the tropics, where the climate is more favourable for agricultural practices. However, the tropical forests are also homes to the most number of animal and plant species, thus creating a conflict between growing food crops and protecting biodiversity. With food getting wasted, many species would have been diminished for nothing as the crops produced from the land cleared gets thrown away.

Food wastage also affects biodiversity due to animal husbandry, which involves the breeding and caring of livestock. Uncontrolled and intensive grazing of farm animals has been found to negatively correlate to a natural habitat's ecological value. Furthermore, food fed to these animals often come from excess crop yield that fail human food safety requirements. As a result, some of these animals may consume food that lack proper nutrients for growth, and become malnourished due to the lack of nutritional value in their diet.

Threats to biodiversity have been found to be higher in developing countries that developed countries. Approximately 72% of species are threatened due to crop production in the developing countries, as compared to 44% in the latter countries. Livestock production pose as a lower threat as compared to crop production, with 21% of species threats deriving from developed countries, and 34% in developing countries.

Among all species of life, birds face the highest threat from food wastage. One possible reason could be due their ability to fly and forage among landfills that contain food waste, which are commonly already undergoing decomposition. As a result, birds die from consuming these spoilt food items.

For more information on how food wastage affects ecology, check out FAO's Summary Report on the footprint of Food Wastage.

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Ecological impacts affect all living things on Earth by altering the natural systems that enable their existence, including you and I. These impacts can be considered as most severe, as once these changes happen to our environment, they are mostly irreversible. 4 factors have been identified that directly suffer due to food wastage, and they are discussed below.

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Well-intended efforts to reduce food waste could threaten some birds and animal species, a new paper has warned.

Writing in the journal Animal Conservation, researchers have called for scientists to consider how food efficiency measures may affect animal populations that rely on landfill and other food waste to survive.

The warning comes as developed countries introduce new measures aimed at reducing food waste, such as sending expired food to charities instead of landfill.

"Scientists working on the biology of animal species (particularly those involved in research on conservation) would do well to make predictions, and test hypotheses, about how the food waste agenda is likely to impact the biodiversity of the planet," the authors wrote in their paper.

Lead author of the paper, Iain Gordon, a professor of terrestrial ecology and James Cook University's Deputy Vice Chancellor, Tropical Environments and Societies, said humans waste about 40% of the food we grow.

"So what is the implication of removing that waste from the system?" he said. "There may be some species then that face a significant decline in their populations."

For example, birds that eat grain spilled in the harvest during stopovers along their migration routes could go hungry if farmers use more efficient machinery to reduce crop losses.

"Seagull populations have risen in the northern hemisphere because often they are associated with landfill. With the reduction to the amount of by catch and food waste going into landfill, seagull levels are declining," he said.

Bald eagles are also highly reliant on food from landfill in the US, he said. If humans created less landfill, the bald eagles may eat other animals instead.

In Europe, the authors of the paper noted, legislation in the wake of mad cow disease forced farmers to bury or burn dead animals that would normally be left lying in fields.

"This led to a reduction in vulture populations to the degree that a number of species are now at risk of extinction," the researchers wrote.

Consider the consequences

Martine Maron, Associate Professor of Environmental Management at the University of Queensland said the paper raised interesting questions but that humans needed to work harder to reduce their food waste.

"It's a no brainer. Reducing food waste reduces the amount of food we have to produce and producing food creates a lot of problems for our wildlife," said Professor Maron, who was not involved in the study.

"We just need to make sure we aren't having any unintended consequences. And if we are, that we can come up with solutions to help any species that might suffer as a result," she said.

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Reducing food waste could put birds and animals at risk

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Well-intended efforts to reduce food waste could threaten some birds and animal species, a new paper has warned. Writing in the journal Animal Conservation, researchers have called for scientists to consider how food efficiency measures may affect animal populations that rely on landfill and other food waste to survive.

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How We Can Keep Plastics Out of Our Ocean | National Geographic

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https://www.ecoliteracy.org/download/understanding-food-and-climate-change-interactive-guide

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Learn why plastic could play a big role in reducing global food waste

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how many living creatures die every minute?
If anyone knows could you tell me please?

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Food waste: Food for thought for students

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Ten schools have joined the move to cut waste by turning it into compost. . Read more at straitstimes.com.

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After a few years of running his family's food distribution business, Nicholas Ng saw with his own eyes the huge amount of food waste at various stages of the supply chain.

But instead of shrugging it off as a harsh reality of business, Nicholas and his sister founded Food Bank Singapore, an organisation that collects excess food and redistributes it to charities.

The project, which began as a humble way to give back to society, soon took on a life of its own. Today, Food Bank Singapore distributes 60 tons of food a month to close to 200 charity organisations, reaching out to over 100,000 needy people here.

Nicholas also actively advocates for his cause. He spends most of his time on outreach programmes with schools, companies and corporations to shed light on food waste and get them involved in the food bank's operations.

His ultimate dream? That Food Bank Singapore goes "out of a job" one day, because that would mean that the Herculean task of changing Singaporeans' attitudes and behaviours towards wasting food is finally complete.

Clearly, Nicholas is not motivated by conventional ideas of success, fame or wealth. His dedication to helping people and making the world a better place is a trait that is as inspiring as it is refreshing.

Nicholas is what clothing label G2000 would call a Gen 2: a new breed of worker who works for more than material success; someone who works for values.

G2000's new Work for Values campaign recognises individuals in Asia who add value to what they do every day, in the hope that it will inspire and encourage young people to strive for something beyond monetary gain.
This is the first of a three-part video series brought to you by G2000. Apparel by G2000. In the video, Nicholas wears:

Outfit #1: Stand Collar Polo tee - $56, Round Neck Melange Sweater - $59,
5-Pocket Casual Pants - $69

Outfit #2: Two-Tone Pique Polo tee - $56, Cotton Blend Blazer - $159,
Classic Flat Front Trousers - $69

Outfit #3: Check Tee - $49, Suede Zip Jacket - $159, 5-Pocket Casual Pants - $79

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Working to tackle Singapore's food waste problem

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After a few years of running his family's food distribution business, Nicholas Ng saw with his own eyes the huge amount of food waste at various stages of the supply chain. But instead of shrugging it off as a harsh reality of business, Nicholas and his sister founded Food Bank Singapore, an organisation that collects excess food and redistributes it to charities.

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Reducing Food Waste is Imperative: Solutions for Food Loss

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Reducing food waste in the US and globally helps fight climate change, deforestation, and the depletion of global water sources.

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In order to produce the 3 billion plastic bags used in Singapore in 2011, 37 million kilograms of crude oil, and 12 million kilograms of natural gas was required!

Other plastic disposables certainly also consume a huge amount of natural resources in production.

Consumption of natural resources in disposal

Plastic bags are often only used once or twice, and then used as trash bags for rubbish disposal. However, the disposal of plastic bags requires a lot more energy and resources too.

In Singapore, our waste is mainly incinerated in one of our four waste-to-energy plants. The incineration ash is brought to our only landfill, Pulau Semakau. When plastic waste is burned, it results in the emission of greenhouse gases like Carbon Dioxide and Methane, and very toxic compounds such as Nitrogen Oxides, Sulphur Oxides and Hydrogen Fluoride.

Singapore's incineration plants filter harmful gases before they are released into the atmosphere. However, it requires a great amount of energy. Incinerating plastic waste required an energy input of 252 megajoules per tonne of waste, (Khoo & Tan, 2010, p. 341) which would power 1.17 million 60W lightbulbs for an hour! Though Singapore's incineration plants do recover a large portion of the used energy by using the heat generated to create electricity, it is unclear whether the energy generated offsets the energy needed for the full life cycle of a plastic bag. (Shah, 2013)

Kills and harms marine life

When plastic bags are disposed improperly, plastic bags end up contaminating and floating about the oceans. Marine life like sea turtles, dolphins and sea turtles often get injured or killed as a result. They may get entangled in them, or they may mistake the plastic bags for food and ingest them. For instance, sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for their favourite food-Jellyfish. Consequently, the plastic bags and other plastic contaminants in the oceans choke up the digestive system of the marine animals that ingest them, leading to great pain, starvation and eventually death.

Taking up space in landfills

In 2016, 822,200 tonnes of plastic waste was generated in Singapore. However, only 7% of the plastic waste was recycled! As a result, 762,700 tonnes of plastic waste was disposed (National Environment Agency, 2016)-which were probably mostly incinerated and sent as ash residue to Pulau Semakau-Singapore's last landfill which limited space is being filled up quickly.

Though there is no statistics on how much of the plastic waste is accounted for by plastic bags, the over 3 billion plastic bags used annually is likely to account for a significant portion of the plastic waste generated and disposed.

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In order to produce the 3 billion plastic bags used in Singapore in 2011, 37 million kilograms of crude oil, and 12 million kilograms of natural gas was required! Other plastic disposables certainly also consume a huge amount of natural resources in production.

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We rely on Earth's natural resources to meet our consumption needs. Sadly, the demand is depleting raw materials faster than they can be regenerated. The aggressive search for more raw materials has endangered wildlife habitats, and the environment is increasingly being polluted by improperly disposed waste.

To reduce our dependence on raw materials and help to mitigate the rate at which they are used, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) has adopted ongoing reusing and recycling initiatives across our park operations.

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We rely on Earth's natural resources to meet our consumption needs. Sadly, the demand is depleting raw materials faster than they can be regenerated. The aggressive search for more raw materials has endangered wildlife habitats, and the environment is increasingly being polluted by improperly disposed waste.

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Despite having only a total land area of 728 sq km, Singapore is home to a significant array of plant and animal species. Click on the links below to learn more.

The Red Data Book is a publication which provides information such as the scientific and common names, IUCN global status, national conservation status and description, of each plant and animal species that has been recorded from Singapore. The second edition of the Singapore Red Data Book is the latest version and was published in 2008.

The national conservation status of the plant and animal species of Singapore were assessed by taxonomic experts drawn from academia, civil society and the government. The national conservation status lists of threatened species, also known as The Red Lists, are to be compiled and written up into a third edition Red Data Book. The Red Lists of various taxonomic groups can be found in the lists below.
We are in the midst of updating the Singapore Red Lists.

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Learn more about the various plant and animal species from Singapore

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Generally, monkeys don't pose a threat, but you may encounter aggressive monkeys that associate humans with food. If you're in an area with monkeys, the most responsible action is to not feed them. Also, take care to keep any food you're carrying inside a securely closed bag - monkeys have very clever ears that are well adapted to listening for the rustle of food packets!

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It's hard to imagine a world without plastic when it's so commonly used in everyday products. However, the impact of plastic usage is devastating for our environment and wildlife. Scientists warned that there will be more plastic waste in the sea than fish by 2050.

A non-biodegradable material, each disposed piece of plastic can take up to thousands of years to break down, polluting the land and sea. Over a million animals are killed each year due to plastic waste.

At Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), reducing plastic waste is one of our key areas of sustainability. We have embarked on a journey to reduce single-use plastics in our parks by replacing them with reusable items or converting them to alternative sustainable materials.

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It's hard to imagine a world without plastic when it's so commonly used in everyday products. However, the impact of plastic usage is devastating for our environment and wildlife. Scientists warned that there will be more plastic waste in the sea than fish by 2050.

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Poor waste management can have negative environmental, economic and social effects.

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