Startling facts captured my attention while I was going over online articles the past few days.
No, it’s not about the Iran-related conflict, which has sent us worrying over its implications, particularly on global oil supply and the domino effect it has triggered in our daily, domestic lives.
The following are among the mind-boggling facts I came across from the database of the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture office:
• Most food waste – about 60% – occurs in households amounting to almost 80 kilograms per person each year. That means you and I each waste about half a pound of food daily.
• Other places where food waste is taking place are food service establishments (28%) and retail (12%).
• Annually, humans throw about one billion tons of edible food, which is almost one-fifth of all food available to consumers.
• The total amount of municipal solid waste generated annually would be enough to encircle the globe 25 times if packed into standard shipping containers placed end-to-end.
These facts and figures are highlighted this week to drum up attention on the significance of March 30th International Day of Zero Waste, which promotes sustainable consumption and production patterns to address the global waste crisis.
The observance this year is themed, “Zero Waste Starts on Your Plate”, which leads us to think of “what we eat, what we waste and how we can move towards a more circular future.”
The observance came into force following the December 2022 adoption of a resolution by the UN General Assembly to be marked annually every March 30 with Turkiye and 105 other countries pushing for it.
The observance is jointly spearheaded by the UN Environment Programme and the UN Human Settlements Programme.
To address the global concern, the United Nations urges governments to, among others, strengthen climate and biodiversity plans and national policies on agricultural and urban development to advance food waste prevention as well as further enhance public-private partnerships.
At the same time, it calls on businesses to set more measurable food waste reduction targets and integrate them into sustainability efforts.
Consumers, on the other hand, are encouraged to buy, store and prepare food mindfully to reduce waste and conserve resources.
With the economic crisis looming over the shortage of oil supply, its domino effect reaches our kitchen and meal tables.
The March 30 observance is an appropriate occasion for people around the world to have a closer look at our consumption patterns and how we can choke such behavior toward a more sustainable future.
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Congratulations to 50 journalists – 25 each from the ranks of graduating college and senior high school students – who are the recipients of the 2026 PIA IWAG Awards, the excellence in development-oriented regional campus journalism prize, which is now on its 49th year.
Among the IWAG Awards recipients is one of my writing mentees, Kenjie Francisco, editor-in-chief of Ang ANINAG of Negros Occidental High School.
Kenjie’s year-round editorial leadership led to the revival of the wide recognition of the publication. He kept a happy balance between academic and co-curricular activities, a proof of which is his completing his Senior High School with the highest honors.
He also brought pride to the school when he was named the Grand Awardee in the Best Project competition in Physical Science (individual category) at the 2026 National Science and Technology Fair held in Metro Manila last month.
Best wishes, Kenjie, in your pursuit for excellence.
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May grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. (Psalm 72:16) | NWI
