Clean plate Policy

Sonam Tshering XII Science C  and Ranbir XII Science B

Many countries in the world today are facing food problems, it is a fact that more than one million people go hungry every day in the World. Our country is lucky to not have food shortages but that does not mean we should take food for granted. There for  to make us aware of the value of food Punakha HSS has adopted the “clean plate policy”. This policy was coined by our principal, Mr. Yash Bdr. Ghallay when he was at Chhukha HSS many years ago. Though our school is just a small fragment of our small country in this humongous World, we still can make a lot of difference if we value food and refrain from wasting it.

Despite the policy being followed many years ago, I hadn’t heard about it, until I came to Punakha Higher Secondary School and saw it written on a board, inside the dining hall. But I realized it only one evening when we had a shortage of dinner. I saw it looking at me expecting some genuine respond. Being sceptical I laughed at it, thinking about what it meant. Did it mean licking my plate till I see my own image? I found it humorous and didn’t pay much thought but I had to spent the night without dinner.

Spending a night without dinner for someone who always complained about food at home was really hard, I could not sleep that night as my stomach groaned in pain like a hungry monster.

The very next morning during breakfast I saw the slogan, “clean plate policy” once again. I didn’t laugh that time but carefully examined the words, ‘Clean Plate Policy’. I thought about the words deeply. And yes, I was finally enlightened; If every one had taken their share of the dinner or only the amount he/she would be able to finish, there would not have been a shortage.

“Clean Plate Policy” is the key to enhance the availability, proper management and essential knowledge about food. Following “Clean Plate Policy” whole heartedly will not only enhance proper management of food availability at the school but also contribute in the reduction of food wastage in the nation and may be the World. More than anything it will instill in one the moral value of appreciating the food we get.

These few words have valuable meaning. In our school it also means self serving the right amount of food in order not to waste. The words express a strong commitment, a commitment not to waste food and to think of people who are not fortunate like us.

If our brain can conceive the wise words and heart can believe, we will achieve it. Therefore let’s  commit ourselves to “clean plate policy”, remembering that it is going to make a whole lot of difference if everyone of us be mindful and follow this policy.

So, ‘Clean Plate Ploicy, We Promise We will not waste Our Food’.