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It’s time to ask yourself, ‘What’s YOUR junk status?'

It’s the fifth annual Living Planet Conference and this year’s discussions are more important than ever – exploring solutions to our exploding waste problem.

What’s the big deal?

During the Living Planet Conference (LPC) on 27 July, WWF South Africa will bring together exceptional experts in the food, energy and water sectors to share solutions to one of our planet’s most pressing challenges – waste.

Whether we realise it or not, waste is something we all contribute to every day!

We are unknowingly part of this massive global crisis – our landfills piling up, food waste filling our dustbin, good drinking water going down the drain and perfect South African sunshine going to waste!

At this year’s LPC we ask “What is your junk status?”

Despite our utter dependence on nature for food, water and energy, we are often wasteful. 
 
We toss out nutritious food despite staggering food insecurity, we trash our vital water source areas and fail to effectively harness abundant and free renewable sources of energy, including wind and sun.
 
By learning from our wasteful living we can dramatically cut the amount that ends up in toxic landfills.
 
WWF’s thought-provoking yet practical conference presents a rare opportunity to engage rigorously and dynamically in the search for solutions that we can all apply in our daily lives.
 
We will explore how we can bin wasteful practices and work together to turn waste into wealth, both at home and for the long-term health of our natural, social and economic resources.
 
Discussions will be facilitated by author, political analyst and radio personality Eusebius McKaiser.

It’s time to think differently, consume wisely and act collectively.
 
What’s WWF’s role in all of this?
 
Food waste
We focus on research to determine the scale of South Africa’s food waste problem and better understand the causes, test and pilot possible measurement and mitigation approaches and promote collaborative government and business action to avoid wasting of food.   
 
Water
We focus on the critical role of a healthy, natural environment in providing us with water security. We drive collaboration around the shared resource of water and work with partners and communities to secure protection of the land that makes up our water source areas – the 8%.
 
Energy
We have a strong focus on ensuring that South Africa is able to make the transition to a low-carbon, equitable future as well as highlighting the potential of renewable energy to address South Africa’s needs while driving green growth.
 
Tips to help you make the change 

The first step is finding out where your water, food and energy really come from. Then it’s about choice.
 
Remember, when you spend your hard-earned money you are ‘’voting’’ with your wallet.
 
We’ve put together a handy list of top tips to get smart with ways to avoid wasting what nature provides:
© James Morgan / WWF
South Africa discards tonnes of waste each year and we’re running out of landfill sites.

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