Monday

1

World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation

Peace with Creation Prayer

Creator of all,
we praise you for the gift of life
and for the faith that unites us in care for our common home.

We confess how estranged we have become —
from one another, from your Creation, and from our truest selves.
We acknowledge that our greed and destructive impulses
have fractured our relationships with you, with others, and with the Earth.
Fertile fields have become barren,
forests lie desolate,
oceans and rivers are polluted.
Thriving communities have become places of suffering,
and the earth cries out.

Beloved Christ,
who spoke “Shalom” to frightened hearts,
stir us to compassionate action.
Inspire us to work for the end of conflict,
and for the full restoration of broken relationships —
with you, with the ecumenical community,
with the human family,
and with all Creation.

Prince of Peace,
through your wounds, teach us to stand in solidarity
with the woundedness of others,
of creation, and of the world.
Through your resurrection,
make us people of hope —
with a vision of swords turned into ploughshares
and tears transformed into joy.

May we come together as one family,
to labour for your peace —
a shalom where all your people
may dwell in safety,
and rest in quiet places.
Amen.

Tuesday

2

September is the month of Season of Creation

2025 Theme: Peace with Creation

“For the palace will be forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever, the joy of wild asses, a pasture for flocks. Until a spirit from on high is poured out on us, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,  and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The effect of righteousness will be peace,  and the result of righteousness, quietness, and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,  in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” Isaiah 32:14-18 (NRVUE)

Creation is God’s sacred gift, entrusted to our care. Christians are called to protect and nurture Creation in peace, working in partnership with others and passing this responsibility on to future generations. Its deep interconnectedness makes peace both essential and fragile.

Though God’s plan for Creation is rooted in justice and peace, human sin disrupts this, leaving Creation in ruin—from wealthy palaces to poor farmlands, forests, and oceans. Isaiah vividly describes the results of human estrangement from Creation.

Peace is more than just the absence of war.  It is the restoration that encompasses our relationship with God, ourselves, the human family, and the rest of Creation.

Throughout history, many human activities have contributed to the destruction of Creation. Yet today, more than ever, some human activities take the form of a war against Creation. Our impact has expanded from local to global, manifesting in unsustainable lifestyles, excessive consumption, lasting pollution, and a throwaway culture.

Some hold greater responsibility for this crisis—elite consumption, exploitative business models, and economic theories prioritizing profit over sustainability. Pollution, health crises, deforestation, and mining in conflict zones worsen the situation.

Last year’s UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, aptly themed “Peace with Nature,” highlighted the urgency of these issues.

Saint Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Creatures calls the Earth our sister and mother. How can Mother Earth nurture us if we fail to contemplate, learn from, and love her? Ignoring our interconnectedness undermines this vital relationship.

God calls us to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9). We are called to live in peace, worship the Creator, and work for a just and sustainable community that aligns with God’s eternal plans. As co-workers with the Creator, we must embody peace with all of Creation.

God’s peace emerges when we work for justice, solidarity, reconciliation, and harmony with Creation. Transformation takes patience, understanding, and trust.

Action can include advocacy, sustainability projects, cleaning campaigns, or education to show that caring for Creation is central to our faith. We must collaborate and build on diversity to achieve peace.

The Symbol for 2025 is the Garden of Peace – The symbol is characterised by a dove carrying an olive branch bringing life to the Garden of Peace.

Read more about this year’s Season of Creation

Download the Season of Creation Resource

Wednesday

3

“There is a growing sensitivity to the environment and the need to protect nature, along with a growing concern, both genuine and distressing, for what is happening to our planet… Our goal is not to amass information or to satisfy curiosity, but rather to become painfully aware, to dare to turn what is happening to the world into our own personal suffering and thus to discover what each of us can do about it.”

Pope Francis

Thursday

4

1^st week in September – Arbor Week

Trees offer more than aesthetic and ornamental value but play a vital role in producing the oxygen we breathe. It has become common knowledge that the climate is changing, and greening landscapes is an important defence against the effects of climate change thanks to their role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.  Indigenous plants provide a home for wildlife and a far better suited to our water-stressed environment.  They also provide a barrier against soil erosion and are often used for natural remedies on which hundreds of people depend.

Arbor Week is a national campaign initiated to celebrate South Africa’s trees and to raise awareness about their importance.  It is also an opportune time to call on all South Africans to plant indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management.  Every Arbor Week celebration highlights two specific trees; one common and one rare species.

Common Tree of 2025 – Sideroxylon inerme subsp. inerme, White-milkwood Mimusops caffra, Red milkwood

 Rare (uncommon) tree of 2025 – Spirostachys africana, Tamboti

• Give thanks for the awesome beauty, variety and diversity of plants in our Country.
• Pray for forgiveness when we have taken this beauty for granted
• Pray that each one of us will utilize and care for this resource wisely

Friday

5

We thank you for brother sun, sister moon and the stars. We give thanks for the rhythm of the days, months and years. Help us to value both light and darkness. Grant us wisdom in the use of energy supplies, and inspiration in the development of renewable resources

Saturday

6

International Vulture Day

“Probably there is no other bird whose appearance on the wing and on the ground offers more vivid contrast. Sailing majestically far up in the blue, without perceptible movement of its great pinions, it seems to cleave the air free of all conscious effort, and conveys to the earth dweller far below, the ideal of poetic motion. When seen on mother earth, it is hard to realise that this ungainly, clumsily hopping, and repellent-looking bird is the same that so delighted our senses when on the wing, nor is the picture in any sense restored as, distributed at its feast, it flaps heavily away to some adjacent tree.” – James Stevenson-Hamilton, Wildlife in South Africa, 1947.

Vultures have a bad reputation – unjustifiably so, say conservationists, who argue vultures are one of nature’s great recyclers, and one of the most misunderstood creatures.  These iconic birds have an essential role in many ecosystems, preventing the transmission of disease to other animals through their consumption of carcasses.

Yet rather than being protected as an ally in the fight against disease outbreak and eco-system stabilizers, the vulture finds itself hunted and maligned in parts of Africa and face a multitude of threats against them. 

In 2025, South African vultures face significant threats, including infrastructure-related deaths, poisoning, and habitat loss.

Between 2020 and 2025, over 300 vultures (Cape, white-backed, and lappet-faced) were reported dead or injured due to collisions with powerlines and poisoning – bearing in mind that all vultures are classified as endangered – some critically so.

Poisoning, both deliberate and accidental, is a major cause of vulture deaths, with poachers using poison to kill large animals for their body parts. A recent incident in Kruger National Park saw the deaths of over 100 vultures after an elephant carcass was poisoned. 

Lead poisoning from ingested ammunition fragments is another significant threat, affecting vulture health and potentially leading to mortality. 

Climate change impacts, such as droughts and extreme weather events, affect vulture food sources and nesting areas, contributing to population decline. 

Changes in land use and farming practices, as well as the reduction of large predators, can limit carrion availability, forcing vultures to search for food in other areas, potentially increasing their exposure to other threats. 

Organisations like Vulpro and BirdLife South Africa are continually working to address these threats through research, awareness campaigns, and conservation projects. 

• What is your attitude to these magnificent birds?
• Give thanks for the many organisations who are striving to protect these iconic birds and pray for blessings on their valuable work.

Sunday

7

Week One of Season of Creation – The Potter’s Earth

O Creator and Potter of all,
You formed the earth and shaped our lives with care.
When we distort Your design,
You do not discard but reshape in mercy.
Mould us to be caretakers of Your creation, humble, responsive, and full of hope.
Let our lives reflect Your restoring hands,
through Christ, who makes all things new.
Amen

Monday

8

International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies (7 September)

2025 Theme: “Invest in #CleanAirNow”

Our first contact with the world. What we inhale 12 times a minute. It keeps us alive or poisons us.  99% of us breathe polluted air. We can’t take it anymore.

Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental health risks of our time. It also exacerbates climate change, causes economic losses, and reduces agricultural productivity.

Clean air is important for the health and day-to-day lives of people, while air pollution is the single greatest environmental risk to human health and one of the main avoidable causes of death and disease globally. Air pollution disproportionately affects women, children and older persons, and also has a negative impact on ecosystems.

It knows no borders – everyone has a responsibility to protect our atmosphere and ensure healthy air for all. By collaborating across borders, sectors, and silos, we can reduce air pollution through collective investments of time, resources and efforts.

As individuals, we can significantly reduce air pollution by adopting cleaner commuting habits, conserving energy, and promoting sustainability in our daily lives. This includes using public transportation wherever possible, walking, and carpooling, as well as switching to efficient appliances, reducing energy consumption, and recycling.

By tackling air pollution proactively, we can achieve transformative change and secure healthy air for all.

Prayerfully consider ways you can contribute to reducing air pollution.

Tuesday

9

Wednesday

10

The Lord’s my Shepherd

Tune: Lord’s my Shepherd

Norman Habel

The Lord’s my shepherd I’ll not want,
He gives me all I need
In plastic bags in super stores,
To satisfy my greed.

The Lord’s my shepherd I’ll not want
The food I like to taste,
But plastic bags that save my food
Are simply worthless waste.

The Lord’s my shepherd, does he know
We’re waging war on stuff
That now pollutes both land and sea;
Enough stuff is enough.

Now my good shepherd raise your staff
And lift your golden rod
To help us what’s good for Earth,
The real gift of our God.

https://seasonofcreation.com/creation-songs/

Thursday

11

“Can we actually suppose that we are wasting, polluting, and making ugly this beautiful land for the sake of patriotism and the love of God?  Perhaps some of us would like to think so, but in fact this destruction is taking place because we have allowed ourselves to believe, and to live, a mated pair of economic lies: that nothing has a value that is not assigned to it by the market; and that the economic life of our communities can safely be handed over to the great corporations.”

Wendell Berry

Friday

12

A Prayer of St Aidan

Leave me alone with God as much as may be.
As the tide draws the waters close in upon the shore,
Make me an island, set apart,
alone with you, God, holy to you.
Then with the turning of the tide
prepare me to carry your presence to the busy world beyond,
the world that rushes in on me till the waters come again and fold me back to you.

As the air sings with songs of glory,
as the water flashes with the silver of creation,
as the forests bloom with leaves for the healing of the nations,
so may God’s light and love
fill our hearts and souls and minds

Saturday

13

Radiant God, you are the fullness of light for your new creation. Because you are faithful, we await with hope the new Jerusalem, our eternal home, your promised city. As we wait, use us to bless the cities we inhabit, that they may be environments of mercy, justice and peace for all.

Sunday

14

Week Two of Season of Creation – When The Earth Mourns

God of all life,
we tremble at the silence of the birds and the ruin of the land.
Through our greed, forests fall and creatures flee.
Yet still You call us to repentance and renewal.
Stir in us a deep love for all You have made,
That we may heal what we have harmed.
Restore the beauty of Your earth,
Through Christ, our hope and our help.
Amen

Monday

15

Tuesday

16

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

2025 Theme: “Ozone for Life.”

The ozone layer, a fragile shield of gas, protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun, thus helping preserve life on the planet.

The phaseout of controlled uses of ozone depleting substances and the related reductions from 1987 have not only helped protect the ozone layer for this and future generations but have also contributed significantly to global efforts to address climate change; furthermore, it has protected human health and ecosystems by limiting the harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the earth.

In 2025, the ozone layer is showing signs of recovery but is not yet at pre-1980 levels. The Antarctic ozone hole has been shrinking but still exists and is expected to return to 1980 levels around 2066. Globally, the ozone layer is projected to return to 1980 values by around 2040.

Give thanks for the advances in the protection of the ozone layer and pray that all governments will continue work together to find ways to protect our earth.

Wednesday

17

Giver of Life,
in the midst of a plundered earth we groan with creation:
     Have mercy on us.
Giver of Life,
in the midst of poisoned water we groan with creation:
     Have mercy on us.
Giver of Life,
in the midst of polluted air we groan with creation:
     Have mercy on us.
Giver of Life,
in the midst of mountains of waste we groan with creation:
     Have mercy on us.
Giver of Life,
in the midst of a world of war we groan with creation:
     Have mercy on us.
Giver of Life,
we who are made in the image of God have gone astray,
and creation groans with us:
     Have mercy on us.

Source: Worshipping Ecumenically, WCC Publications

Thursday

18

Recycling Prayer

Jesus Christ, teach us to empathise with Earth.
Living God Where there is waste, let us bring recycling,
Where there is recycling, let us bring reuse,
Where there is reuse, let us bring sustainability,
Where there is sustainability, let us bring justice
Where there is justice, let us bring love.

Friday

19

Let’s Work Together

When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God”

Leviticus 19:9-10

The Bible has the principle of gleaning- which is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields. It became legally enforced as an entitlement for the poor in some Christian kingdoms.  Modern day “dumpster diving” is a similar idea – where those who are on the margins need to be able to make a living.

Around the world informal groups of people called ‘waste pickers’ go through our waste and ‘glean’ a living.

Millions of people worldwide make a living collecting, sorting, recycling, and selling materials that someone else has thrown away.

In some countries, waste pickers provide the only form of solid waste collection, providing widespread public benefits and achieving high recycling rates.

Waste pickers contribute to local economies, to public health and safety, and to environmental sustainability. While recognition for their contributions is growing in some places, they often face low social status, deplorable living and working conditions, and get little support from local governments.

So how can we help?

Firstly waste pickers need to have dignity. So it is important that you rinse your recyclables and do not mix food waste with recyclable goods (would you like to earn your living working with plastic bottles covered in maggots?) Treat them with respect when you meet them in the street and find out their names.

Secondly, they need to be safe: Also if there are any broken pieces of glass, make sure they are wrapped safely so they don’t cut their hands.  If you have left over food that is still edible, make sure that it is separated – some people hang it on their gate in a bag to keep it separated.

Thirdly,  stand up for their rights – you may find that in your community (or neighbourhood WhatsApp group) derogatory things are said about waste pickers – you be the one to stand up for them and for their rights to gleaning.

Saturday

20

International Peace Day  (21 September)

2025 Theme: “Cultivating a Culture of Peace”.

This theme also marks the 25th anniversary of the UN’s adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, directed particularly towards the crucial role of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

SDG Goals 1 and 2 – No Poverty & Zero Hunger, are at the core of understanding of International Day of Peace and the connection between economic stability and conflict prevention. By eliminating poverty and hunger, the primary causes of wars are addressed.

SDG Goals 3, 4 and 5 – Good Health, Education & Gender Equality – recognise that societies in good health are peaceful ones. Advocating for well-being, education, and gender balance, we shape societies that stand resilient to conflict.

SDG Goals 6, 7 and 8 – Clean Water, Energy & Economic Growth – recognise that sustainable resource management translate to reduced conflicts over limited supplies.

SDG Goals 16 and 17 – Peace, Justice & Partnerships are the cornerstone of the International Day of Peace, advocating for robust institutions.

More than just a single day of commemoration, the International Day of Peace represents a rallying cry for individuals, communities, and nations and more especially us, as individuals, heed the call to bring about peace each day in our everyday lives.

Sunday

21

Week Three of Season of Creation –  Healing the Wounds of Creation

God of compassion,
|Our hearts are heavy, our eyes weep for a wounded world.
The harvest is past, the summer ended, yet the earth is not healed.
Is there no balm, no physician for creation’s pain?
Forgive our delay, our silence, our neglect.
Break our hearts for what breaks Yours.
Lead us to acts of healing and hope,
Through Christ, the balm for all creation.
Amen

Monday

22

World Rhino Day

World Rhino Day is a global effort to raise awareness and support for the five rhino species, all of which are facing various threats, particularly from poaching and habitat loss. WWF-South Africa announced World Rhino Day in 2010.

Currently, 2,056 black rhinos and 12,968 white rhinos are estimated to remain for a total of more than 15,000. Poaching remains the largest threat to South Africa’s rhinos.  In the first three months of 2025, South Africa has recorded 103 rhino poaching incidents. This represents an average of 34.33 rhinos poached per month. While four provinces have experienced zero rhino poaching, the overall poaching figures highlight the ongoing threat to rhino populations.

Poaching and illegal trade of rhino horn has increased sharply since 2007 and remains one of the major reasons rhino are still endangered today. Poaching is big business, and well organised criminal gangs are now well-equipped to track and kill rhino.

Rhino calves and rhino mothers are closely bonded. Rhino babies are fiercely protected by their mothers in the wild, so when a rhino mother is killed, the bewildered rhino orphan becomes particularly vulnerable and their longevity is endangered. Under normal circumstances, rhino calves will stay with their mothers for around 3 years.

However, there is hope for these little ones in the form of “The Rhino Orphanage” located in the bushveld of the Limpopo Province.  The Orphanage is a specialised, non-commercial centre dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, raising and release of orphaned rhinos back into the wild.

Tuesday

23

Week Four of Season of Creation – Acts of  Stubborn Hope

Faithful God,
You called Your servant to buy land as a sign of hope.
In the midst of brokenness,
You promise restoration and life.
Help us to trust Your future for creation,
To care for earth with patient hands and steadfast hearts.
May fields once barren flourish again,
And life spring forth where there was despair. through Christ,
our redeemer and restorer.
Amen.

Wednesday

24

Heritage Day

Heritage is something that belongs to the nation – where the origins of its people are, the food eaten, the languages spoken, the beauty of the Country and wealth of our natural fauna and flora. It’s a chance to think about why you’re proud to be South African.  It’s a chance to recognise and celebrate the cultural and natural wealth of our “Rainbow Nation.”

For Our Country

Lord, bless our country,
  that faith and love may season the hearts and minds of all our leaders.
Those who stand out among us: politicians, judges, scholars, and the rich and powerful.
Fill them with a new love for Your ways,
  that with justice and mercy they may become the very salt our earth,
  and worthy trustees of the gifts and responsibilities You have given them.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

*Adapted from William Laud, 1573-1645

Thursday

25

Prayer for International Peace Day (21 September)

May the oppressed people and those who oppress them, free each other
May those who are handicapped, and those who think they are not, help each other
May those who need someone to listen touch the hearts of those who are too busy
May the homeless bring joy to those who open their doors reluctantly
May the lonely heal those who think they are self-sufficient
May the poor melt the hearts of the rich
May seekers for truth give life to those who are satisfied that they have found it
May the dying who do not wish to die be comforted by those who find it hard to live
May the unloved be allowed to unlock the hearts of those who cannot love
May prisoners find true freedom and liberate others from fear
May those who sleep on the streets share their gentleness with those who cannot understand them
May the hungry tear the veil from the eyes of those who do not hunger after justice
May those who live without hope cleanse the hearts of their brothers and sisters who are afraid to live
May the weak confound the strong and save them
May violence be overcome by compassion
May violence be absorbed by men and women of peace
May violence succumb to those who are totally vulnerable
That we may be healed
Amen

Friday

26

World Environmental Health Day 

2025 Theme: “Clean Air, Healthy People”

This theme highlights the vital connection between air quality and human health, emphasizing issues like air pollution, climate change, and respiratory diseases.

Clean air is essential for good health and well-being.  Air pollution contributes to respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and climate change.  Everyone has a role to play in reducing air pollution and advocating for clean air policies.  Sustainable practices and policies can mitigate the effects of air pollution and improve people’s health and wellbeing.

Air pollution in Johannesburg is primarily caused by a combination of industrial activities, power plants, vehicle emissions, and the burning of domestic waste, along with the unique topography of the area. These sources contribute to high levels of particulate matter and other pollutants.

Transportation has become one of the biggest contributors to pollution locally. There are over five million cars on the roads in Johannesburg alone, each one of them emitting several dangerous gases into the air.  During Eskom’s load shedding episodes, the air quality in suburban areas worsens as businesses and residents increasingly rely on diesel generators.

In addition, Johannesburg’s proximity to the Vaal Triangle, an area with high-polluting industries such as petrochemical, chemical, brick, tile, and steel manufacturing, contributes significantly to its air quality issues.

There is not much we can do about the wind blowing polluted air to the City from our very polluted neighbours, but we can all can significantly contribute to reducing air pollution by adopting practices that minimize harmful emissions and support cleaner energy options.  This includes reducing car usage, using public transport where possible, carpooling, and keeping our vehicles well-maintained.  Additionally, conserving energy at home, reducing the use of wood-burning and anthracite appliances, and supporting initiatives like expanding renewable energy sources are crucial steps. 

Let’s all do what we can to reduce air pollution.  Consider your action/s in this quest.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to see what we breathe!

Saturday

27

World Rivers Day (28 September)

World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world’s waterways. It highlights the many values of rivers and strives to increase public awareness and encourages the improved stewardship of rivers around the world.

Rivers carry water and nutrients to areas all around the earth. They play an important part in the water cycle, acting as drainage channels for surface water. Rivers provide excellent habitat and food for many of the earth’s organisms. The quality of a stream or river is often a good indication of the way of life within a community through which is flows. It is an indicator of the socio-economic conditions and environmental awareness and attitude of its users.

Sadly, the rivers in the Gauteng (notably the Vaal and Crocodile) area tell a sad tale of horrendous pollution.

The Vaal River system, on which approximately 19 million people depend for drinking water and commercial use, is polluted beyond acceptable standards.  Regrettably, this has been an on-going problem for a number of years.  The cause of the pollution is the vast amount of untreated sewage entering the Vaal because of inoperative and dilapidated wastewater treatment plants which have been unable to properly process sewage and other wastewater produced in Emfuleni, from the city of Johannesburg metropolitan municipality and Midvaal municipality.

The Crocodile River has its source above the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens on the Witwatersrand Ridge.  It is joined by the Jukskei and Hennops Rivers before meandering to the North West Province and joining with the Limpopo River in the north of Limpopo Province.  From there it will continue its journey and empty into the Indian Ocean.

As these rivers pass through urban areas, they are severely compromised by heavy pollution from high concentration of raw sewage and E. coli due to aging infrastructure, a backlog of maintenance repairs, and local dumping. Our growing population negatively impacts our ever-dwindling water resources.  Construction projects, mining, road laying, and other developments as well as general living also impact our rivers in negative ways.

There are direct concerns relating to the negative impact the pollution has on people’s health and the economy.  Sewage pollution of rivers can result in cholera bacteria entering the rivers via the faeces of an infected person or people.  Another consequence of pollution is on natural ecosystems which directly dependent on the water in and from these rivers.  These rivers should provide an array of ecosystem goods and services such as sources of food and water for terrestrial species, but this is not evident.  In order to maintain aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity it is critical that our rivers remain in adequate ecological state with minimal impacts on hydrology; one of the most important drivers of river health.

As citizens, we can all do our bit to protect our rivers and indeed our water resources. 

• Using pesticides or fertilizers with the utmost care or preferably not at all, is extremely important.  Many fertilizers and pesticides contain hazardous chemicals which travel through wastewater into our rivers. These can also travel through the soil and contaminate groundwater.
• Select your soaps for biodegradability whenever possible.
• Never pour oil (motor oil or cooking oil) onto the street or down a drain.
• Dispose of waste responsibly and recycle as much as possible.
• Pray for urgent and comprehensive intervention by the Gauteng province, Department of Water, local Municipalities and other stake-holders.
•  

Sunday

28

Spirit of God, you infuse all creation with manifold and astounding meanings and purposes. We often see only what benefits humankind and are blind to the full riches of your creation. Lift our vision to see more clearly the love you have for all life.

Monday

29

International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste

2025 Theme: “Stop Food Loss and Waste for the People and the Planet”

The day is organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Its purpose is to raise awareness about the issue of food loss and waste, and to promote solutions to reduce it. 

Food loss and waste translates into a substantial economic and resource loss. This impacts not only producers but also consumers and nations, not to mention livelihoods and economic stability.

South Africa faces a catastrophic hunger crisis while 10m tonnes of foodstuff goes to waste every year.

The amount of nutritious food wasted in our food chain – from farms to retailers – is staggering. 10 million tonnes of food is wasted annually, equivalent to 30 billion meals. With 20 million people severely food insecure, with millions of children going to bed hungry each night, that lost food could fill a lot of empty tummies. 

South African landfills emit up to 450 million kilogrammes of methane gas annually because of the wasted food and organic waste going into landfills, contributing significantly to climate change and environmental degradation.

Thankfully, there are many organisations doing commendable work in addressing this food crisis, as are the major food retailers.  However, they alone cannot solve this crisis. The amount we waste is enough to end hunger in South Africa. 

Ending hunger in South Africa – preventing malnutrition in children – should be a Government priority, but their efforts are sadly lacking in this monumental crisis.

However, each and every one of us as consumers can play a crucial role in achieving sustainable consumption and production.

• Use your right to accurate and complete information about goods
• Learn about the impact of your consumption on the environment
• Buy only what you need
• Freeze surplus fresh produce
• Take restaurant leftovers home
• Look for recipes to use up foods at home
• Plant a small food/herb garden.

Examine your own food choices and wastage.  Consider how best you can mitigate your food wastage.  Put some strategies in place to ensure that you’re not guilty of wasting precious food!

Tuesday

30