Christmas food waste can cause global warming- Environmentalist

Climate and Environmental Advocate Team Lead for Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP),
Mr. Michael David, has emphasised the possibility of Christmas food waste causing global warming.

In a recent interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),
David highlighted that excess greenhouse gases, including methane, carbon dioxide (CO2), and chlorofluorocarbons, contribute to climate change, urging Nigerians to recognise the environmental consequences of discarded festive meals.

He expressed concern over the alarming levels of food waste during Christmas, stressing that a significant portion of the prepared food ends up uneaten. He underscored the negative environmental impact, linking food waste not only to monetary losses but also to the release of harmful gases.

He shed light on the need to consider the energy and natural resources expended in processing, transporting, storing, and cooking food.

Addressing the environmental consequences, David pointed out that food waste in landfills generates substantial amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Furthermore, he drew attention to the excessive water usage associated with agriculture, with food packaging contributing to environmental degradation due to its non-biodegradable nature.

The advocate highlighted the urgent need for increased awareness, stressing the environmental unfriendliness of excessive packaging that often ends up as litter.

To combat the issue of food waste, David offered practical tips, urging individuals to refrain from discarding edible food. He encouraged sharing surplus food with others to alleviate the impact of wastage. Emphasizing the societal aspect, David underscored the unfairness of food wastage, particularly in a nation where children endure hunger. The advocate concluded by urging Nigerians to reflect on the quantity of food wasted daily and adopt responsible practices, especially during festive periods like Christmas.

As food costs soar nationwide, it is not impossible also that certain percentage of food cooked during the yuletide would still end up being wasted due to many reasons.

One reason is the power outage in major cities especially Lagos where the Egbin power plant has been on repairs.

The repairs have however lingered and many households who in the past years stock refrigerators ahead of the festive season, may not have enough to power their generators enough to preserve food due to high cost of petrol.