The University aims to reach zero food waste

Qatar University (QU) will participate in the annual Qatar Sustainability Week, a National Campaign, which will be held from 8 October to 15 October 2022. QU plays a leading role in sustainability in the country, offering consultancy to organizations and decision makers in sustainable planning and development in various fields.

QU is launching a number of green initiatives that promote a culture of sustainability such as initiatives to minimize food waste, reducing gas emission, recycling paper, as well as converting food and other waste into biofuels. In addition, QU actively raises awareness on the subject of sustainability and has contributed vastly in fields such as engineering, medicine and environmental science, all of which has helped to drive its mission forward.

In a statement, QU Director of Communications and Public Relations, Dr. Hitmi Al-Hitmi said, “QU in its role as Qatar’s most prominent and sole national institution of higher education, holds a hefty responsibility in achieving comprehensive development and environmental sustainability, spreading and promoting this culture. The University also feels a great responsibility to help various institutions in avoiding outdated technologies, which can be environmentally harmful and do not make sense in the digital age.”

He adds, “QU has updated its business cards to be digital as part of this transition, to move towards digitization of its services and in order to implement the requirements of the new strategy. QU is the first government institution of higher education to utilize ‘e-business cards,’ which are of particular importance as it reduces carbon emissions through paper consumption, compacts expenses and resources and is a much better alternative for the good of the environment than paper or plastic. A key pillar of the Qatar National Vision 2030 is management of the environment and its protection.”

Dr. Hitmi Al-Hitmi also notes that QU’s Agricultural Research Station are currently working on a project to reduce food waste by converting it into a natural fertilizer, aiming to achieve food security, which has become a national priority. He says, “Under the umbrella of the QU Holding Company, there will be organization, with a specialized field of converting food into fertilizer, to reach zero food waste. QU will also cooperate with a number of ambitious local youth clubs and initiatives such as ‘Greener Future’ led by Aisha AlMaadeed, a young Qatari woman and ‘Etaam’ founded by Sheikha Al-Nawar Al-Thani, a humanitarian initiative that aims to provide snack packets to expat workers.”

Dr. Hitmi also notes that the upcoming Annual Research Forum will be held under the theme “Research, Innovation & Sustainability: Engaging Nations through Sports,” in order to focus on sustainbilty issues after the FIFA World Cup 2022 and to address the challenges facing the community by way of research and studies, in cooperation with relevant stakeholders.

Source: Qatar University