MyZA

News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff

You are here: Home / News / Reduce food waste this Christmas

Reduce food waste this Christmas

Reduce food waste this Christmas

With the holiday season often being a time of abundance and indulgence, the City of Cape Town has urged residents to join in the effort to reduce food waste during the upcoming Christmas celebrations.

Member of Mayoral Committee for Urban Waste Management, Grant Twigg, warned that food waste is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbates the effects of climate change. 

“When food is wasted, not only are valuable resources such as water, energy and land wasted, but when leftovers and scraps end up in landfill, they produce a potent greenhouse gas that can accelerate climate change. 

“The city encourages residents to practice careful planning when it comes to their holiday meals. Smart shopping and thoughtful meal preparation can help avoid overstocking and excess consumption,” Twigg said. 

Tips to reduce food waste during the holiday season:
• Plan meals and shopping lists: Plan your meals in advance and create a detailed shopping list. This way, you can avoid overbuying and ensure you only purchase what you need.
• Buy locally and seasonally: Support local farmers and reduce the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation by choosing locally-grown and seasonal produce.
• Proper storage: Store food correctly to extend its shelf life. Ensure refrigerated items are kept at the appropriate temperature and use the first-in, first-out method when organising your pantry.
• Be mindful of your fridge/freezer capacity, when stocking up on fresh fruit and vegetables, to minimise unnecessary spoiling of unused vegetables,  
• Portion control: Be mindful of how much food you cook and serve. Start with smaller portions and allow guests to serve themselves second helpings if desired. This will minimise leftovers and reduce waste.
• Be creative with re-using leftover food: There are options to make leftovers into new and exciting dishes to enjoy, rather than just throwing them out.
• Composting: Consider composting at home. Composting food scraps not only reduces landfill waste but also creates nutrient-rich compost that can be used to nourish plants and gardens.

Twigg reminded businesses to come up with alternative plans to landfill, when disposing of organic waste. 

Since the adoption of the amended Integrated Waste Management By-Law in 2009, every business in Cape Town has been required to develop integrated waste management plans (IWMP) to cover all aspects of waste management. – SAnews.gov.za

 

 

GabiK
Tue, 12/19/2023 – 12:22

122 views

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

With the holiday season often being a time of abundance and indulgence, the City of Cape Town has urged residents to join in the effort to reduce food waste during the upcoming Christmas celebrations.

Member of Mayoral Committee for Urban Waste Management, Grant Twigg, warned that food waste is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbates the effects of climate change. 

“When food is wasted, not only are valuable resources such as water, energy and land wasted, but when leftovers and scraps finish up in landfill, they produce a potent greenhouse gas that can accelerate climate change. 

“The city encourages residents to practice careful planning when it comes to their holiday meals. Smart shopping and thoughtful meal preparation can succor avoid overstocking and excess consumption,” Twigg said. 

Tips to reduce food waste during the holiday season:
• Plan meals and shopping lists: Region your meals in advance and create a detailed shopping list. This way, you can avoid overbuying and ensure you only purchase what you need.
• Buy locally and seasonally: Support local farmers and reduce the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation by choosing locally-grown and seasonal produce.
• Proper storage: Store food correctly to extend its shelf life. Ensure refrigerated items are kept at the appropriate temperature and use the first-in, first-out method when organising your pantry.
• Be mindful of your fridge/freezer capacity, when stocking up on fresh fruit and vegetables, to minimise unnecessary spoiling of unused vegetables,  
• Portion control: Be mindful of how much food you cook and serve. Start with smaller portions and allow guests to serve themselves second helpings if desired. This will minimise leftovers and reduce waste.
• Be creative with re-using leftover food: There are options to produce leftovers into recent and exciting dishes to appreciate, rather than just throwing them out.
• Composting: Consider composting at home. Composting food scraps not only reduces landfill waste but also creates nutrient-rich compost that can be used to nourish plants and gardens.

Twigg reminded businesses to approach up with alternative plans to landfill, when disposing of organic waste. 

Since the adoption of the amended Integrated Waste Management By-Law in 2009, every business in Cape Town has been required to develop integrated waste management plans (IWMP) to cover every aspects of waste management. – SAnews.gov.za

Read More at the Source

Category: Tag: , , , , , , , , ,

If you feel strongly about this article then feel free to send MyZA a ‘Letter to the Editor’ using the submission form below:

Letter to the Editor

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
If this is in response to an article please include that article title here or as the lead in for the first paragraph of your Letter below.

Separate tags with commas

Localise your letter by naming the city your words are about. Add relevant words describing your subject. Single comma separated words of no more than 5
Your Name(Required)
Your Name will be linked to the website below.
Your personal, business or social media web site
Choose NO to not set up a user account on MyZA. User Accounts will allow you to submit letters under your own Author Name

3 Latest Letters to the Editor:

  • Re: R8.5 Million Lotto Winner Claims Prize in Gqeberha

    Dear Editor This is indeed an exciting story for the community. Congratulations to the winner and may this bring positive change to Nomathamsanqa. As someone from KwaMashu, I understand the impact such winnings can have on township communities. Wishing the grandfather all the best. Regards Themba Zulu In Response to/From: R8.5 Million Lotto Winner Claims…

  • Re: Minister Tolashe and Postbank Black Cards

    Dear Editor I appreciate the Minister’s assurance regarding the smooth transition to Postbank Black Cards for grant beneficiaries. As a concerned citizen, I hope the government will ensure that all beneficiaries, especially elderly and vulnerable populations in areas like Soweto, receive adequate assistance during this transition period. The expansion of card replacement locations to include…

  • Lotto Winner Story

    Dear Editor This is indeed an exciting story for the community. Congratulations to the winner and may this bring positive change to Nomathamsanqa. Regards Willem Pieterse In Response to/From: R8.5 Million Lotto Winner Claims Prize in Gqeberha

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Fun South African Fact: The waters surrounding the 2,500km long coastline are teeming with life. You’ll find great white sharks, African penguins, dolphins and much much more in South Africa’s oceans. Many travellers visit the coast to watch the annual whale migrations. In Hermanus, in the Western Cape, you can see hundreds of whales from June to late November. Simon’s Town, another coastal Western Cape town, is home to Boulder’s Beach. Here you can swim alongside colonies of African Penguins!