Call from SÜT-D for World Cleanup Day: “Let’s Move from Clean Plates to Clean Cities”

The Association for Sustainable Production and Consumption (SÜT-D), drawing attention to food waste within the scope of World Cleanup Day, issued a call stating “Let’s rise from the table with clean plates and move toward clean cities, let our wasted morsels not weep behind us.” SÜT-D President Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu pointed out that every morsel contains energy, water, natural resources, labor and economic value.

The Association for Sustainable Production and Consumption (SÜT-D), in a statement made within the scope of World Cleanup Day on September 20, drew attention to the environmental and economic impacts of food waste.

Noting that more than 1 billion meals are wasted every day and that millions of people face hunger, the Association emphasized that reducing food waste is an important step in building sustainable and resilient cities.

As the theme “From Clean Plates to Clean Cities” came to the forefront within the scope of World Cleanup Day 2026, preventing food waste at its source, reducing waste, and expanding circular economy practices were brought onto the agenda.

“Energy, water and natural resources are hidden in every morsel we take”

Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu, faculty member at İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi and President of SÜT-D, stated that food waste is not only an economic loss but also creates significant impacts on natural resources and the environment.

Karaosmanoğlu stated that the fact that more than 1 billion meals are wasted worldwide every day needs to be evaluated together with the environmental impacts of food systems.

Pointing out that food waste deepens the triple planetary crisis of biodiversity loss, environmental pollution and climate change, Karaosmanoğlu said that the increasing amount of waste also increases the pressure on urban infrastructure and public health.

Karaosmanoğlu stated, “Energy, water, the resources of our nature, labor and money are hidden in every morsel we take. In every morsel we waste, there is also the capital of our hidden planet and our pockets, our national wealth.”

According to UN data, more than 1.1 billion people living in informal settlement areas are affected by problems arising from waste management and urbanization. Pointing out that food waste is associated with approximately 8-10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, SÜT-D stated that reducing food waste would contribute to the creation of more circular, resilient and resource-efficient cities.

Reducing waste is at the center of World Cleanup Day

Providing information on the history of World Cleanup Day, Karaosmanoğlu stated that the cleanup actions launched in 2011 by the Estonia-based Let’s Do It Foundation (LDIF) turned into a global awareness movement over time.

Noting that SÜT-D also began contributing to these efforts through civil society with its call for the cleanup of digital life in 2020, Karaosmanoğlu reminded that the United Nations declared September 20 as World Cleanup Day in December 2023.

Stating that the 2026 events were held between September 19-21 in the city of Shaoxing, China, in cooperation with UN-Habitat and LDIF, Karaosmanoğlu said that topics such as expanding responsible production and consumption, reducing and separately collecting waste, local food waste management, and strengthening circular economy systems were addressed within the scope of the efforts.

“Let our wasted morsels not weep behind us”

SÜT-D President Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu stated that zero waste is one of the important topics on the agenda of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which Türkiye will host.

Pointing out the importance of Türkiye presenting a strong zero waste practice within the scope of the conference, Karaosmanoğlu said, “While introducing our nature and culture amid the green and blue of Antalya, wasted morsels will not weep behind us.”

Also drawing attention to the importance of individual consumption habits in preventing food waste, Karaosmanoğlu stated that taking only as much food as needed at the table and not putting more food on the plate than necessary could reduce waste generation at its source.

Karaosmanoğlu completed her World Cleanup Day message with the following call:

“Come, let’s rise from the table with clean plates and move toward clean cities, let our wasted morsels not weep behind us.”