Turning wasted food into worthy food
I’m part of the Roots & Shoots programme, founded by Dr Jane Goodall, DBE. It’s all about making positive changes in the world. As Dr Goodall says, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”There is nothing more humbling to see than a person helping another being who is less fortunate than him or her. What’s the point to life if we can’t be decent human beings?When I see plates of wasted food, I see the desperate eyes of a stray animal. I see a weak dog prowling bin bags, searching for food to fill his empty belly. In Bulgaria, where I live, stray dogs are everywhere. Although many can turn a blind eye, I struggle to ignore the soulful eyes of a malnourished street dog. That’s why I’m no longer a food waster. I save food and feed it to the hungry. Even when I’m in a restaurant, I’m not afraid to fill a food bag with leftovers. When there are living beings out there starving, it’s the least I can do. A few days ago, I encountered a stray dog around the bins. I stroked his head and knelt down. Hours earlier, I’d bagged up a plate of leftover fish. As I unwrapped the plastic bag of fish, he wagged his tail and sniffed the air. They were gone in an instant.
It’s sad, isn’t it? How we can waste so much food and think little of it, when there are animals out there going hungry. These homeless animals have taught me that food is precious and it isn’t right to waste it. When your stomach is full, don’t throw away the food you’ve left. Save it for another who’s stomach isn’t full.I can’t count the times I’ve passed a stray animal with eyes asking for help. I always end up running into the nearby food shop and coming out with whatever I can get hold of. Some strays take the food out of my hands. Others are more difficult. Sometimes, I crouch down on my knees to make myself less intimidating, to which they usually respond.So make your wasted food, worthy food.You have the power to save a life! Help the homeless dogs in Bulgaria, UK or anywhere around the world for that matter! Why not volunteer or donate to one of these excellent foundations:http://arsofia.com/http://www.koi-me-iska.com/http://www.k9-rescue.org.uk/http://www.streetdogrescue.com/Lauren KearneyRoots & Shoots Burgas