Is culture part of the cause of food wastage?

Readers discuss ways to address food wastage. Other topics: ADHD drivers and lifeguards

Readers say food wastage is too common and cannot be justified. Sarah Dea / The National

In relation to your article, Food wastage a growing concern for UAE (February 10), I remember a recent occasion when I went to a restaurant to have lunch with a colleague.

A family of six eating near us left the restaurant with half of their food untouched. I felt so despondent about educating people about wasting food. Most children these days get picky with their food, while parents don’t seem to care when their kids leave most of their food on their plates.

Whenever we arrange any gathering, it is best that we also call a charitable organisation and make arrangements to donate the surplus food.

Wasting food is not good for anyone in any way – not for the economy, for the environment or for our own ethical justifications.

Mathew Litty, Dubai

I have witnessed many diners at restaurants leaving behind tens of dishes that have not even been touched.

What makes me feel bad about it is that almost nobody bothers to ask for the food to be taken away in a doggy-bag. It almost seems like it’s a shame to do so.

All this poses the question of why diners order too many dishes. Are they impressing guests or is it all about ego?

Nawaf Abu Ghazaleh, Abu Dhabi

The restaurant mentioned in this article has the right idea in selling excess food very cheaply to labourers, but why can’t this concept be applied everywhere, including hotels?

Why are they charging a small fee if it has to be thrown out anyway because of regulations? They should give it away, so long as the food remains safe for consumption

Nicole Reischl Hughes, Abu Dhabi

ADHD is a real factor on roads

With regard to Ayesha Almazroui's column (Bad driving is bad driving, except when it isn't, February 9), she says that research into ADHD might be valid to look at in a country with a high number of traffic accidents and a relative scarcity of mental health care.

It’s clear ADHD doesn’t cause all accidents, but it does contribute to the overall number of accidents.

Melissa Self Smith, Al Ain

Ayesha Almazroui suggests that dangerous drivers may have ADHD but in my view, bad driving is just bad driving.

The real victims here are those drivers, passengers and pedestrians who are in the wrong place at the wrong time when some selfish idiot speeds, weaves across lanes, jumps a red light, is too lazy to signal or uses a mobile phone at the wheel.

These are all seen too frequently in the UAE’s driving culture. Latching on to the latest bit of pseudoscience won’t drive them out. Only proper law enforcement will.

Simon Ballinger, Abu Dhabi

I would like to thank Ms Almazroui for this important opinion piece. Indeed, the research on ADHD-related driving risks is long established.

The effect on driving might be a very visible risk of undiagnosed ADHD, but other risks are just as damaging to society and to individuals. It is also associated with higher rates of bankruptcy, substance abuse, incarceration, domestic violence and lower educational and employment achievements.

Of course, ADHD is a spectrum condition and not everyone experiences these worst outcomes but in the case of the US, one 2004 survey estimated the toll of ADHD on the economy just on lost workforce productivity to be at least $60 billion (Dh220bn) and as high as $214bn.

It’s time that all countries started paying attention to this vital aspect of public health.

Gina Pera, US

Near-drownings go unreported

In relation to your article, Search and rescue chief says lifeguards on Dubai's beaches would be 'positive' (February 9) while the search and rescue crews here do a great job, it is true that this is not enough for some of the busier beaches.

The number of deaths does not accurately reflect the number of people who get into trouble at the beach beside the Burj Al Arab. Surfers there have saved hundreds over the years.

If the person is alive and breathing, and is fine after a rest on the beach, authorities are not called in, so these incidents go unrecorded.

I have saved one person, and seen three other surfers save drowning people just in the past six months. I am sure a poll of Dubai surfers would reveal startling numbers of people saved, even when the conditions aren’t deemed dangerous.

I wholeheartedly support Maj Ali Abdullah Al Naqbi’s call for lifeguards on the busiest beaches at the very least.

Name withheld by request