Food waste extends beyond the individual not finishing their meal. It occurs across the food industry’s whole supply chain and has become a global crisis. The social and environmental discourse linked to food waste has even brought the United Nations to recognise it under 3 different SDG goals. Between food insecurity and the climate crisis, the multitude of causes and consequences is what makes food waste so complicated to resolve. Unsold foods, plate waste, edible foods that get discarded, food scraps and by-products lost during processing are just a few of the elements defining such wastage. The biggest irony, and challenge, is the fact that a third of the global population does not have enough access to food yet roughly a third of the food produced worldwide is lost or wasted annually. Such juxtaposition highlights the inequality and inefficiency of our food systems. And more, if food waste were a country it would be the third largest emitting country in the world. I guess bad things do come in threes…
Hong Kong produces around 3,600 tons of food waste daily and this contributes to 40% of their landfills. It is with these issues in mind that have birthed the food saving app of CHOMP. Although the concept of such tool already exists, CHOMP has recognised the local urgency and necessity to help push the city’s efforts to becoming more sustainable. By using the app, you are actively reducing food waste, eating delicious food and saving pennies on the side.
