The big question we must face in this struggle is: how do we tackle environmental problems such as FLAW (Food Loss and Waste) if everyone is just struggling to make ends meet.
In Latin America, and many other developing regions, it is sometimes tricky to introduce an environmental problem such as Food Waste on the agenda. Economic needs and the urgency to just survive are usually a priority over the environment. Or they think of it just as a First-World-Issue, nothing that should concern them. The consequences of food waste aren't immediately visible, and postcapitalist ideas are not yet settled in our region. Because of this, it can be hard for NGOs or civil society actors fighting against it to be heard and, for governments, to have the incentives to tackle the problem at its root.
If we keep thinking of the economy and the protection of the environment as a zero-sum game, we end up in a vicious circle, where the need for growth takes over at the expense of our planet and our future. We need to break this cycle and focus on creating incentives for less harmful behaviours. WINIM is an example of an answer to this dilemma in the worldwide battle against food waste.
WINIM is a mobile app that connects our users with a variety of shops, local producers and restaurants who offer their unsold food – that would otherwise be wasted – at a discount price. And it is quite simple to use: our users just open their app on their cell phones, pick a dish they want and either order it with take away or by delivery.
We call our app a Win-Win-Win business model: first, the shops get to make an extra income with the food that currently ends up in the bin despite being perfectly fine; secondly, our users get to enjoy delicious food at amazing prices; and third, above all, we get to help our planet by tackling food waste and raising awareness on this issue.
This way, we create real incentives to all actors in our society to join the fight against food waste. Meanwhile, we are growing strong: in less than 9 months we already have more than 500 partners and are planning to expand. WINIM and similar apps (like Too Good To Go or Karma in Europe) around the world are, therefore, a good example that ecologic and sustainable business models can also be profitable – that the two are not incompatible. As it is properly said in Laudato si’: we have to find a comprehensive perspective towards the environment that includes our societies, their cultures and lifestyles.
Our initiatives may not be able to win the battle against food waste on their own, but it is a simple way to get more people to understand and join the sustainability cause. At WINIM, we fully believe in the idea that by making small changes in our daily habits, such as the way we purchase food, we can help to significantly reduce food waste.
Indeed, in real estate it is a common cliché to say “location, location, location”. Well, in WINIM we believe that if we want to make real change we should focus on “communication, communication, communication”. We have to communicate the issue and our proposed solutions in such a way that it is the logical choice not to waste food.
We should accept if someone does not care about the environment; we can try to communicate in the best we can why he or she should be concerned about it. But if we want immediate action, we have to show them that they are also wasting their money, time, work and effort. For example, if you have a supermarket chain and you don’t use an app such as WINIM to cut your food waste, then you are wasting money; if you baked 20 muffins and wasted 5 instead of selling them at a discount, then you are wasting your work and effort; and so on. We must concentrate on proper storytelling.
In conclusion, how do we tackle environmental problems such as FLAW (Food Loss and Waste) if everyone is just struggling to make ends meet? By giving the right incentives for everyone to cooperate and join us. We need to tackle the problem and if we only rely on a moral stance, at the end of the day all main actors in our society will keep on wasting. But, if we show that it is not logical to waste, then change can be finally achieved.