Engage in Conscious Living While Consuming Food

I attended a friend’s wedding banquet last week. It was a moving experience with the couple sharing the story of their journey and guests sending their well wishes. Then a sumptuous feast followed with dishes of highly prized delicacy, some of which were near-extinct species. Worst, there were a lot of leftovers at the end of the banquet and waitpersons just threw them into the garbage bin.

I am personally against eating any near extinct species, including shark fins, turtles, blue fin tuna, Chinook salmon, and whales. It is not only about protecting the Earth but the practice of commercial fishing on these species is really cruel and inhumane. Think about the way sharks are caught, their fins slice off and their bodies get thrown back into the sea. These poor sharks are basically left to die in pain!

So what’s the whole point of hosting such a lavish feast? What purpose does it really serve? People may think that such an act shows their respect to their guests. To me, it only shows people’s mindless consumption, even ignorance. I am sure that guests who attended the banquet would have been equally happy for the couple if they were served without the near-extinct species.

Hunters are used to cut sharks' fins while they are still alive and then release them back into the sea to die in a slow and painful death

Hong Kong is a society full of material abundance but people don’t seem to treasure what they have. This is evident in the amount of food waste we created every day – an astounding 3,200 tons! Yet, there are many people still living in substandard conditions.

Recently, I discovered an environmentally friendly organization called Green Hong Kong. This is a Tai Po-based NGO with 6 staff; they visit the neighboring Fu Shin wet market and collect discarded fresh, edible produce from vendors. With these produce, the staff cook meals for the next door training center of the Confederation of Trade Unions. Students from the training center can pay just $20 to enjoy a six-course vegetarian lunch with soup. Thanks to the work of Green Hong Kong, tons of produce escape being transported to landfills.

Tips to a Conscious Living:

·       Buy from locals
·       Consume organic food
·       Cook meals at home to avoid waste
·       Minimize takeout food
·       Steam food; avoid deep frying
·       Eat less red meat and more vegetables
·       Don’t consume endangered species and plants

 http://foodrecyclinghk.wordpress.com/