Seyran ÖZKAN, a writer and content producer from Turkey, says: “In the past seven years, I’ve thought more carefully about buying groceries and only brought home as much food as I myself, or the people for whom I cook, will consume.”

She has followed a “zero-waste” lifestyle since 2019; an approach that emphasizes minimizing waste, with food playing an important part in it.

She says: “Moving can be challenging, because it takes time to form a new plan and routine. Illness or holidays can also disrupt this process, but apart from these cases, this lifestyle has become a natural part of my everyday life.”

Based on a 2024 report by the United Nations Environment Programme, the world wastes more than one billion tons of food every year; at a time when 645 million people are struggling with hunger.

This year, for the first time, the topic of “zero waste,” including food waste, has been placed at the center of attention as one of the main themes of the United Nations climate summit COP31, which will be held this month in Antalya, Turkey.