2024-01-06 08:01:01
He christmas cycle that we are about to close has been marked, as usual, by the consumption. These have been days that invite us to buy more and organize larger meals. But even at this time, many households have been careful not to overspend, with inflation above 3%. It is also customary in many houses use leftovers from the previous day. Not only at Christmas, there are many families who practice something as old as not wasting food. And if not long ago The main motivation was economicin recent years it has been gaining strength another compelling reason: caring for the planet. Climate change, and especially drought, has highlighted that its effects on agriculture and livestock can put food security in check. The value of savings is not only economic, but also, and above all, natural resources.
Other initiatives in restaurants and supermarkets to avoid throwing food in the trash, lowering the price or donating leftover or expiring food, also indicate that something is changing. The fight against food wasteas occurs with second-hand clothing and other actions that promote efficient consumption, is revalued, dignified and gains followers. That more and more people, and especially the younger generations, join these practices without complexes reflects a change in mentality that we must celebrate.
Social awareness is increasing, but it is still not enough. Different calculations estimate between 77 and 31 kilos of uneaten food that each Spaniard throws away per year. And if the focus is expanded to the entire food chain, from the first link of production until it reaches the final consumer, the conclusion is more alarming: it is estimated that one third of the food produced in the world ends up in the trash.
It is necessary a legislative push to reduce these numbers. Do not depend on the voluntariness of the most aware, but accompany this awareness with some obligations, accompanied by sanctions In case of non-compliance, directed to the points in the chain where the most action can be taken to prevent waste: producers and distributors. Discarding perfectly edible fruits and vegetables because they do not meet certain aesthetic standards is no longer defensible. And providing an outlet for these products that have no place in the market should not depend on the good will of some companies or social entities, but rather mechanisms of equal compliance for all must be established.
Regulation, in this sense, is already late. Three years ago, the Government spoke of a future food loss and waste prevention law. The bill barely began to move forward, since the advance of the general elections paralyzed its processing. Catalonia has an even earlier law, approved by the Parliament in 2020, but the regulations have not yet been deployed (it is planned to do so in 2024). The central government plans to resume the paralyzed law in the coming weeks, which at the time had the support of the PP, the main opposition party. A standard that brings together such a shared feeling like this should not encounter obstacles to its implementation as soon as possible.
#Editorial #food #waste