Minimizing Food Waste: Strengthening Lombok Communities and Sustainable Tourism

Lombok's once-thriving tourism industry faced a dual blow in 2018 when a devastating earthquake struck, followed by the global COVID-19 pandemic. These catastrophic events severely impacted the livelihoods of countless locals who depended on tourism for their income. As tourism slowly rebounds, we face a new challenge - an upsurge in food waste and greenhouse gas emissions, with more culinary businesses back to its feet, along with the traditional market that piled up with organic waste. To address this pressing issue and foster a sustainable recovery, we aspire to establish a cutting-edge food waste center. This center will not only prevent substantial amounts of food waste from ending up in landfills but will also provide income opportunities for underprivileged communities, supporting their journey towards economic empowerment and a greener, more resilient Lombok. However, we need more helping hands to make this happen, to start and train the local community to operate the Food Waste Center, and later can be operated independently by the community itself.