SDG 2: Zero hunger

I aim to volunteer over the summer for food distribution charities and volunteer organisations. I believe its really important that everyone has access to nutritious and healthy food. I hope that I am able to help fight hunger in Australia by promoting the importance of not wasting food, and damage food waste problem has. 1 million tonnes of food waste is sent to landfill every year in Australia by businesses. By rescuing and redistributing this food to help feed the community, we are able to lessen the impact of food wastage that goes into landfill and also help feed the hungry.

I would like to see more pet-friendly public places like restaurants, gardens in China. Every pet would be taking good care of and no more stray animals

When we eat, there is always some food that will be wasted because here we live in an advanced country where finding food is not a problem. However, if I limit my food to a specific amount that is enough for me and save the eating outside money for 3 months, I can rise enough money to support a family for a month in Niger. p.s.: picture reference: https://www.voanews.com/africa/could-big-data-help-end-hunger-africa

As a part-time Food Service Assistant I am indirectly responsible for huge amounts of left-over good food being thrown into the thrash-bin every day. At home, I am directly responsible for a similar insensitive activity, though on a smaller scale. Walking through the streets of Melbourne, I have noticed that even in the midst of plenty, there is also poverty and hunger. I have always noticed people who are in need of or searching for food. I understand that most people feel guilty of wasting food; kind-hearted people who like to help the hungry do not know what to do with the good food they would otherwise have to throw into the dustbin. Now that Green Step has given me the opportunity to think about how to make a difference in the lives of children and marginalized people, the ‘food waste’ problem has thrown up a positive thought. The ‘problem’ I mentioned at the beginning can be turned into a solution for the hungry. Therefore, I will take my first step by providing food to the hungry in my locality with the edible food which I painfully dispose into the trash- bin. I am sure that other good-hearted people and institutions in the locality will also join. The extra food that usually goes to the waste bin from homes and institutions will go one more step before going to the waste bin (if there is anything leftover!). It will go to unmanned ‘food-available to anyone’ and ‘open display’ centers where anyone can come and put good food items and anyone who is hungry can come and take them away for free. I will start the first ‘food available to anyone’ center in front of my own residence. In the beginning, I will identify the ‘givers’ and the ‘takers’, move around, collect the food, and distribute. Later, I am sure that empathetic people will give space and facility to start collection centers where people can come and leave the food and the needy can come and take the food without hurting their self-image. So, there is one more stop-over for good food before it would have otherwise moved to the thrash-bin. And more than that, it brings joy and health to so many who would have gone to bed hungry.

Food production is a major driver of wildlife extinction. According to World Wildlife Fund, what we eat contributes to around a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions and is responsible for 60% of the global diversity loss. This is why I have decided to move away from a meat-dominated diet to a more plant-based diet. I am going to eat sustainably sourced foods, buying from local produce in order to support local farmers and small businesses where possible. To start out, I will cut down my red meat consumption from 5 days a week to 2 days a week and after a month, further cut down to no meat. In addition, I am going to look out for the fair trade certification seal on foods to ensure I am not only tackling the issue of the conservation of the environment, but also poverty and poor working conditions.

I will stop eating meat on any of the weekdays. By changing my habits to include buying my fruit and vegetable produce from local sellers and supporting the local economy, going for a weekly shop rather than each day to reduce my energy consumption, using recycled bags and avoiding plastics I will eat more diverse and better quality food, from more sustainable sources at a cheaper cost! WIN! WIN! WIN!

My pledge is to grow more of my own vegetables sustainably at home by building wicking beds out of primarily recycled materials. Growing your own food helps to reduce our environmental footprint by eliminating transport and packaging requirements, and often uses less water and energy than industrially produced food. Furthermore, it can be cheaper than buying vegetables from the supermarket in the long-term. Wicking beds are a type of waterproofed planter where soil is suspended above a layer of water, allowing plants to draw water up through their roots as required, as opposed to relying on rainfall or irrigation. This reduces the amount of water required for successful growth, suppresses weeds by keeping the topmost layer of soil dry (thus negating the need for herbicides) and improves plant health by maintaining consistent moisture levels. The primary impediment to wicking beds is that typically they require large amounts of new plastic in order to waterproof the planters, and they are more expensive than typical beds. I have recently helped to build a traditional wicking bed and have observed its effectiveness – particularly in growing leafy greens that can be difficult to manage in Australia’s hot, dry climate. My proposal is to see if recycled wine barrels (cut in half) can be used as a way to create effective wicking beds while increasing the usage of recycled materials and reducing cost. Wine barrels would negate the need for expensive, energy intensive plastic to be used for waterproofing, and reduce the overall cost of the wicking bed itself. Furthermore, if the idea is successful, it could be adapted to other used items, such as metal drums or even bathtubs. As such, I think my pledge could contribute to various sustainable development goals, most notably: 2) zero hunger, by increasing people’s ability to grow nutritious food, 6) clean water, by reducing water usage required for food production, 12) responsible consumption and production, by reducing usage of environmentally costly products (particularly herbs and leafy greens that are typically packaged in plastic) and 13) climate action.

My pledge is to ensure my food consumption is more sustainable. I currently follow a plant-based diet; however, I understand that food sustainability requires additional actions. This is a significant global issue with food production leading to one quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. I plan to purchase local and organic products plus growing vegetables at home to promote a sustainable supply chain. I will use a meal planner to only buy the food I require and monitor food in my fridge to make sure I use 100% of the food that I source. Finally, I aim to find a purpose for every piece of food to ensure it is used and does not go to waste. I.e. using over-ripe bananas to make banana cake. This commitment will lead to reduced carbon emissions from food transport and refrigerated storage, plus will reduce the contamination of soil and water that arise from the use of pesticides in the mass production of foods. Furthermore, monitoring the use of food will reduce food wastage.

Buy products from organisations that send profits to positive projects in 3rd world countries. Particularly those focussing on women's education.

I started my journey to be pescatarian a few months ago and I'd like to take a further step to reduce my daily consumption as well. -Replace dairy milk with plant based milks. - Find more recipes to focus on whole, plant based foods.