Photo by Paul Schellekens on Unsplash
It has been a week since the sighting of the moon marked the beginning of a new month of Shawwal, which also signifies the end of Ramadan for Muslims around the world. The 30 days of fasting are intended to help clear the mind of distractions. Experiencing an empty stomach serves as a reminder that often we eat out of impulsivity such as snacking at 10 AM after having breakfast at 8 AM.
Think about it: if you change your meal schedule from three times a day to twice a day, it makes sense to reduce the amount of food you buy to about two-thirds of your usual purchases. Furthermore, the 12 to 18-hour fasting period during this time should allow your stomach to adjust its size, enabling you to gain satiety quickly. So, logically, one might expect that Ramadan would lead to a decrease in food demand, resulting in less food production and a smaller carbon footprint right? Not exactly.
In contrast, food sales during Ramadan increased by 50-100%. Retailers, especially in the food industry, capitalized on this festive season by offering sales and promotions. It was estimated that 15% of annual food expenditures in Egypt are generated during Ramadan. The spirit of the Holy Month focuses on giving and sharing, especially with those who cannot afford a decent meal. Therefore, this trend goes along with the objective of the holy month, as many people buy extra food to share with others. However, if only the reality aligned more closely with the ideal I would not be writing this article.
It truly is heartbreaking when the data repeats itself year after year, showing that this wasteful habit has already become widespread across different cultures. Instead of reflecting and being moderate as the Quran teaches, some turn Ramadan into a month of feasting and unnecessary food waste. The purpose is so that we become the people of Taqwa (Quran 2:183).
The word Taqwa can simply be translated as piety. However, an interesting old Arabic interpretation of the term is "to protect." Some Arabic grammarians also use the imagery of a horse without horseshoes attempting to climb a rocky hill to illustrate this concept. This perspective invites us to reconsider the purpose of Ramadan and reflect on our actions. Are we being careful with our decisions, even down to our grocery lists? Are we considering the shelf life of the food we purchase? Are we buying items out of necessity, or are we making impulsive purchases under the influence of hunger?
Food waste has become a global issue. It’s worth doing some research on this topic. To highlight some alarming statistics in America alone, 40% of food produced in America goes uneaten, while 1 in 8 Americans still lacks a stable food supply. Home consumers are the largest contributors to food waste, with an average loss of $1,500 per year. The carbon footprint from this waste is equally concerning. Another example, in 2019 the amount of trash produced in Jakarta, Indonesia increased by 700000 kg, contributing to a daily average of 6,000 tonnes. Shockingly, 39% of this waste was food discarded by the first day of Ramadan. Data from Dubai Municipality reveals that food waste in Dubai’s landfills accounts for 22% of the total waste accumulated, and doubled during the holy month. Let that sink in for a moment. Is this what we truly consider Taqwa or at the very least, being mindful?
The Economist Intelligence Unit reported that Indonesia is the second-largest producer of food waste, generating 300 kg per person each year, trailing only Saudi Arabia, which produces 427 kg per person annually. The United States follows closely behind at 277 kg per person per year. This raises an important question: how did we arrive at this situation? What kind of paradigm shift has allowed this catastrophe to occur?
When we consider the original purpose of Ramadan—to address the issue of excessive behavior—it is ironic that it has transformed into a period dominated by waste-making competition. This trend needs to change immediately.
Let’s be honest—how many of us have brought home a full meal for iftar, complete with appetizers and desserts in three different varieties for each course? After just a few bites of the first dish, we find ourselves staring at the rest and thinking, “How am I going to finish all of this?” This cycle seems never-ending. Perhaps you managed to have just a bite for suhoor, even with four meals left in the fridge, yet you still fall into the same trap. You brought home another meal for iftar because you were tempted by its aroma or convinced yourself that you hadn’t tasted it in a year. This cycle continues, leaving you with food that rots in the fridge—and that doesn’t even include the pre-Ramadan supplies you stocked up on. This realization should encourage us to check what’s in our fridge. Instead of letting food go to waste, we should be more mindful about how much we prepare and consume.
I have listed some preliminary statements we can remind ourselves of. I'm sure it'll also be useful outside of Ramadan:
My belly shrunk when I'm fasting
3 dates or 3 cookies filled me up instantly
Curries don't last long
I appreciate the food I cook more
My company or organization makes big iftar every once in a while, there are always leftovers
I have neighbors that I can share my food with
my pet doesn't mind a leftover
It's never too late to start composting
My plate is too big and it does not have to be full to its edges
There are food banks around me
My fridge does not have to be full all the time
My fridge is not a time machine that freezes time
It is okay to go for groceries a few times a week (good planning is even better)
It is ok to cook less or to buy less
I'm not hungry, I'm just bored
Let's remind one another to be more mindful of our eating habits. Keep in mind, always that the goal of Ramadan is self-transformation to equip oneself with Taqwa: someone who is thoughtful before acting and being aware of the potential outcomes of their actions.
...and there you have it, another Philosofood brought to you by GRAMUS.
Sources:
https://www.ecomena.org/food-waste-and-the-spirit-of-ramadan/#:~:text=In%20recent%20years%2C%20enormous%20generation,to%20garbage%20bins%20or%20landfills.
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