An Apple a Day gets Thrown Away
Well actually 4.4 million* to be precise. That's 4.4 million whole apples thrown away every day in the UK. Pretty shocking, isn't it? According to research* a third of the food we buy is thrown away. I'm sure many of us are often guilty of buying too much food, letting it sit in the fridge and then throwing it out, I know I am.
I've been thinking a lot about recycling lately; my borough has recently introduced an improved recycling system whereby householders are encouraged to recycle everything they can, supermarkets are charging for plastic bags and our carbon footprint is in the news more than ever. When it comes to our food waste recycling is great, but even better to cut down on the waste in the first place.
The "Love Food Hate Waste" campaign aims to raise awareness of the need to reduce the amount of food that we throw away, and how by doing some easy and practical things in the home we will benefit our purses and the environment. The campaign is run by WRAP, who is also responsible for encouraging recycling and home composting. WRAP is funded by the government and works to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment.
To find out more about the campaign, and for great tips and recipes take a look at the website. There's a handy article on there about how you can save money on your food bill which you can go to directly by clicking here.
I'm going to do more by trying not to over-buy food in order to reduce my own food waste, and by using even more of those things in the back of my fridge that would otherwise be thrown out. Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing the meals I make out of them and I hope this will give you some inspiration and between us we can start to cut down on our food waste and help to make a difference.
*Source WRAP
9 comments:
I'ma lso trying to cut down on waste and find the Love Food Hate Waste website fantastic. I look forward to reading your recipes.
Julia, I came across the campaign a few weeks ago and posted a link on my blog straight away, because it's something I believe in so much. I wish I was like my mother, she really hardly wastes a thing and has it down to a 't', but I am getting better. I was clearing out D's stepmum's kitchen yesterday and couldn't believe all the stuff we had to throw out. It made me sick.
I agree totally, though I care less about the environmental impact and more about the disposible attitude we have.
Seeing people with little food variation and very quick food wasting rates last summer I learnt a lot about what we need to eat and what we just like. I also learnt about selecting *just* what you need. If you don't have a fridge, you simply don't pick up what you can't eat or keep. Extending the time between purchase and disposal means you are more likely to buy and waste.
Learning to only eat what you need did go against the grain to begin with as we all so often link the over-provision of food with love, security and prosperity.
It makes me feel guilty to throw anything away (even normal wastage like fat, rind or peelings) knowing how lucky we are. I'm immune to the "carbon footprint" cult, but knowing of a life beyond convenience really changed my attitude.
I always make a meal plan and shopping list (though don't straightjacket myself if I see something on offer or something really special). Sensible shopping is all the more important in recent times!
Great post. It's really needy to bring awareness on such subject. I try not to waste but it happens and I feel really guilty afterward.
I'm also trying to do the same, I'm being a bit more rigid about my planning and trying not to buy 'one use' seasonings and things when they take my fancy! I look forward to the recipes :)
Great post Julia!! I hate throwing any food away too! I remember as a child we would have roast on a Sunday and mum would make pie with any leftover meat and how delicious that was.
Rosie x
It's so great that this is finally getting a little more recognition. I recently read an article in the NYT which was quoting the site wastedfood.com and it's made me stop and think... Especially as a fellow food blogger, it's wonderful showing off those back of the fridge items and how to use them up.
I recently moved house - and borough - down south to Crystal Palace and was completely astonished to find that my local council, Croydon, has a recycling policy of fortnightly paper and glass collection and no food-waste collection - a shock after coming from Hackney, who collected both weekly. (And rubbish has to fit neatly into 2 bins with lids closed, handles facing outwards, and there's only one bulky waste collection per year... don't even get me started....)
After the first two weeks, paper, boxes and wine bottle piling up (we did a lot of entertaining), I thought 'enough is enough'. My company, FoodLoversBritain.com, supports the Love Food Hate Waste campaign and every time I tip leftovers into the bin, it makes my heart sink a little, so I have decided to take matters into our own hands and compost (The question remains why am i paying council tax...). If anyone has any handy tips on composting (in our last house we had to abandon our gallant attempt because of ants - and if anyone has any tips on repelling those, I am all ears), whether it be the right kind of container, what to compost, how long to leave it for.... then i would love to know.
I'm also growing tomatoes, onions (advice please), sorrel and various herbs, so any grow-your-own vegetable tips are all grist to my mill, or rather contributions to the compost.
That is really sad.... I feel so bad when something is getting spoiled in my kitchen... even when it is one potato.
Have a wonderful weekend, Margot
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