Even with overcast skies, people lined up in Kotzia Square to enjoy the free meal prepared by the Chefs Club of Athens. Diners enjoyed briam, a casserole made with a medley of vegetables, such as eggplant, zucchini, carrots and potatoes, and a dessert consisting of fruit salad.
Feedback is a global environmental, non-government organization started in 2009 to combat global food waste. The group organized the event today. Feedback received vegetables and fruit from farmers after they had been rejected by stores because they were either misshapen or had blemishes making them unsuitable for sale.
More than a ton of produce that would otherwise have been thrown out was used to prepare the meal. The crowd was also treated to cooking demonstrations by chefs Diana Kochyla, Alexander Papandreou Gikas Xenakis, as well as Tip the Chef, who presented imaginative ways to use surplus food.
Even the kids in attendance were not left out. Educational workshops were conducted by several non-profit groups that included Boroume, the British Council, and the Troo Food Liberation collective. Groups that worked with Feedback in organizing the event included WWF — Better Life, BacktoCommons, the BritishCouncil and EUFusions program.
Food waste is a global problem
Nearly one-third of the world’s food, or 1.3 billion tons, is wasted every year after it has been harvested. This includes 45 percent of fruit and vegetables, 35 percent of fish and seafood, 30 percent of cereals, 20 percent of dairy products and 20 percent of our meat.
In one recent study of food waste, it was found that Americans waste close to $200 billion on uneaten food yearly, while Canadians throw away $31 billion worth of food annually. These figures don’t even begin to tell the real cost. The cost of planting and harvesting, labor and fuel costs to move produce to market, inefficiencies in production and unharvested crops left in the fields to rot haven’t been figured into the total cost.
With one in nine people going to bed hungry worldwide, food waste needs to be tackled by starting at the international level and going right on down to the individual consumer. This is being done in many countries today. Metro Vancouver joined the international movement, Love Food Hate Waste to meet waste implementation goals and educate consumers in creating less waste.
Grocery stores in France, the United States and other countries are now offering less than perfect fruits and vegetables to consumers at reduced prices as part of an “ugly fruits and vegetables” campaign. Well known scientist and author Dr. David Suzuki says food waste is a crime against the planet and the life it supports. He also advises us to buy only what we plan to eat, and eat all that we buy. That’s good advise.
