The Year 7 students of Sri Dasmesh International School recently took part in an online workshop conducted by AISEC, Sunway University, entitled ‘Clean our Plate.’ The workshop was conducted over three Saturdays: 21st August, 28th August and the 4th of September 2021. The purpose of the sessions was to create an awareness of the food waste issue in Malaysia and to provide tips on avoiding unnecessary food disposal. The workshops took place between 9.30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
In the first workshop, we were given an introduction to the food wastage situation globally. Did you know that Malaysians produce about 15,000 tonnes of food waste a day? We were given insights into the importance of planning and portioning our daily meals. This would help us reduce waste by only preparing the amount of food that we can consume. This also enabled us to craft a plan based on our dietary requirements. We enjoyed a game of Kahoot too!
In the second workshop, we were exposed to another technique of how to prevent food wastage through food preservation. We did a hands-on activity involving pickling. This is where we were taught how to pickle cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, and onions. This process of pickling is able to preserve the concoction for 3 months!
In the last session, we learnt about waste control through composting. We discovered its benefits via videos and slide presentations; it was not complicated at all to set up a compost system. We ended the session with a DIY activity where we tried our hands at composting brown and green waste that we had collected the day before. What an experience!
To sum up, we not only had a fun-filled time at these sessions, but we also gained perspective on the food wastage problem. It induced a sense of responsibility in all of us to plan meals, preserve fruits and vegetables, and practise composting. Now that we are more informed on how to prevent food wastage, we are in a better position to make a change in our lifestyle. Let us be that change!
By Meera Darshini
