During the holy month, households, restaurants and hotels tend to prepare more food than is consumed. Unfortunately, a large portion of this food usually ends up in landfill. In Dubai, as The National reported last week, food accounts for 55 per cent of all the waste that funnels into the emirate's landfill during Ramadan, rising from an average between 33 to 38 per cent on regular days. The UAE, and not only in Ramadan, has one of the highest rates of food waste in the world.

 

To that end, the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi has partnered with a charitable organization and a food-and-beverage chain to donate each day for the next five years 250 meals of untouched, safe leftover food to the capital city’s homeless. The agency introduced the campaign at the start of Ramadan, and will launch it in full at its conclusion. Islam’s holy month continues through Aug. 7.

 

In addition to the food donation program, the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi has launched its own awareness campaign to encourage people throughout the country to consider waste when making food decisions.

The campaign includes 10 tips on reducing food waste, recycling some of the practices from World Environment Day while also incorporating their own religious values.