The HSBC Malta Foundation has sponsored a Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) award which was presented to St Joseph Senior School, Sliema for an article investigating the issue of food waste in households.

The article focusses on how food waste is generated, handled and stored in households, and how the whole supply chain affects this global challenge. The award-winning piece also discusses recipes for using left-over food for consumption instead of being wasted.

Emma Manicaro, in her article, emphasises the importance of reducing food waste by taking three simple steps: storing food correctly as improper storage leads to premature rotting, using preservation methods such as pickling to extend the shelf life of food, and composting organic materials that can be used as fertiliser to grow plants. The full article is available on the YRE’s official website for Malta.

Caroline Buhagiar Klass, Head of Human Resources and Corporate Sustainability at HSBC Malta said: “Being mindful about waste production and waste management is becoming a pressing issue. This year’s European Week for Waste Reduction, which took place between the  21st and the 29th November, focused on how people can take actions to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. HSBC Malta has been an avid supporter of reducing food waste by raising awareness. This recent award is in recognition of an article that brilliantly educates us on becoming active change agents to continue improving our societies.”

Maltese and Gozitan students participated in an online celebration of the Young Reporters for the Environment programme’s achievements, an international Education for Sustainable Development programme run locally by Nature Trust FEE Malta. A total of 9 international awards were handed out to projects from a total of 235 entries.