A Chinese school principal has found a way to control food waste by eating the students’ leftover meals.
Wang Yongxin, who heads an educational centre in Hunan province, has stirred controversy with his behaviour.
The video, that made rounds, shows him near a trash bin in the cafeteria. He forbids the pupils from throwing away their food and starts eating.
Read More: Easy techniques to prevent food waste at home
His act managed to work among some students as they finish their meal, while others were stumped by looking at him.
The 58-year-old, speaking with local media, disclosed that his act has seen him eating three meals a day.
He also admitted to eating six to seven meals that were unfinished by the students during recess in the past week.
Yongxin said he is setting an example for teachers as well.
“I want to set an example for the kids, letting them know that it’s wrong to waste food,” he was quoted saying in the article. “My behaviour has not only surprised the children but also teachers.
“Some children finished their food when they saw me eating their classmates’ leftovers.”
He added that his behaviour has led to students and teachers voluntarily telling the cafeteria staff about their quantity.
Yongxin’s acts have been appreciated and disliked by people for different reasons in the Chinese media.
“It’s good to be frugal, but eating others’ leftovers is a bad example for epidemic control. Maybe they should think of other ways to educate the students,” a Weibo user said.
An individual had no issue with that.
“It’s all from the same kitchen. All the students and teachers eat here. I regard the kids as my own, so there is no boundary in my mind,” he said.
Forbes, quoting the United Nations Environment Programme’s 2021 Food Waste Index, stated that approximately 931 million tonnes of food is wasted every year across the world.
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