First Lady Erdoğan issues video message on International Day of Zero Waste

First Lady Emine Erdoğan, the chair of the United Nations Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste, issued a video message on the anniversary of the declaration of March 30 as the International Day of Zero Waste.

Voicing her pleasure over the fourth anniversary of the International Day on Zero Waste, First Lady Erdoğan reminded that this year’s theme is “Food Waste”, and said: “That is so because, 673 million people are struggling with hunger in the world today. Over two billion people cannot eat adequately or healthily. Every one of 12 people lives their lives under the risk of chronic hunger. That is why we wanted to see the successive effects of each food we waste, and to let us say ‘Stop!’ to this course of events. Thus, we will be able to stand by our brothers and sisters living on that horrible border between life and death in Africa, Asia, Gaza and many other geographies. How painful it is that nearly half of the death of children under the age of five results from hunger. Numerous children lose their lives before growing up and seeing a beautiful day. However, we can end hunger in the world by saving only the one fourth of the food wasted globally.”

Underscoring that food loss and waste account for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Mrs. Erdoğan noted: “According to the Food Waste Index Report, the 60 per cent of food waste happens at homes. It means that we can undoubtedly prevent this huge waste with some caution, some awareness and little behavioral changes. In fact, the experiences we have gotten so far in the Zero Waste Project, which we launched in 2017, have shown us that behavioral changes are the strongest environment and climate policies. In other words, a responsible behavior can turn into a wave of benevolence that embraces the entire humanity and nature.”