Daniel Tay, a ‘freegan’ , and a food waste advocate, founded SG Food Rescue which runs programmes to raise awareness of food wastage in Singapore. On 14 September, they gave away 800 kg of food, which were meant to be disposed of but salvageable and edible, to members of the public. It is meant to raise awareness about food security that we take for granted, and change mindsets about ‘ugly’ foods which are still edible.

Read this article to find out more: ‘I hope people ask why we’re giving good food away’: Giveaway highlights food waste problem

Analysis:  

Advocacy work is necessary for shifting mindsets in society. The messages carried by advocates are usually not a mainstream narrative. They bring to light facts that may not be widely known to persuade more people with a call-to-action for positive change. If more people are aware of the larger effects of their individual actions.

Some shocking and surprising facts, or actions, can move people to take action. In order to reach a tipping point where the advocated cause becomes a norm, it takes time to educate and inform the public.

Food for thought:

  1. How can advocacy work be made more effective?
  2. Are there instances where campaigns have effectively convinced you to behave differently? What ticked?

Photo by Tolga Ahmetler on Unsplash