The Issue of Wasted Food on Flights Flying from Dubai via Airblue has always been a pleasant experience due to the punctuality of take-...
The Issue of Wasted Food on Flights
Flying from Dubai via Airblue has always been a pleasant experience due to the punctuality of take-offs and the tasty food served on board. However, a recent experience highlighted a significant issue: the waste of unopened food.
A Personal Experience
During my recent air travel, I was served a hot, fresh, and healthy breakfast. Not being very hungry, I only finished my omelet and kept the rest of the food items packed, which included beans, salad, muffins, jam, and a bun.
Curious about the fate of the remaining food, I inquired with the air hostess. She informed me that any uneaten food would be discarded as per policy. I expressed my concern about food waste, particularly the unopened and untouched items, and suggested that such food could be handed over to local NGOs for distribution to orphans and the poor. She acknowledged my feedback with a smile and continued her duties.
The Scale of Food Waste
To illustrate the magnitude of the problem, consider the following calculations:
- Daily Airblue Flights (Assumption): 10
- Unopened Items per Flight: 250 to 400
- Total Unopened Food Items per Day (Airblue): 2500 to 4000
Expanding this to a global scale:
- Daily Flights Worldwide: 106,000
- Total Unopened Food Items per Day: 26.5 million to 42.4 million
This incredible amount of food could potentially feed millions of people every day through collaborative and collective efforts.
Suggestions for Airlines
To address this issue, here are some suggestions for airlines:
- Hand Over Unused Food to NGOs: Collaborate with NGOs to distribute unopened food items to poor and needy individuals.
- Efficient Packing: Ensure minimum plastic usage in food packaging to reduce environmental impact.
- Reduce Use of Straws and Paper-Based Packaging: Minimize the use of disposable straws and unnecessary paper packaging.
- On-Demand Food Items: Provide items like beans and salads on-demand to avoid wastage of food not consumed by all passengers.
- Utilize Unused Food for Organic Farming: Partner with organic farms or organizations in the agricultural industry to use unused food as fertilizer.
Conclusion
Our earth and its resources should not be taken for granted and should be consumed responsibly. By addressing the issue of food waste on flights, airlines can contribute to a more sustainable future. Let's love and care for God's creatures and act responsibly to ensure that upcoming generations do not suffer from our irresponsible actions.
Together, we can make a significant difference by ensuring that excess food benefits those in need rather than being wasted.
By Junaid Tahir
