In this blog we’re focusing on the food waste element of creating a zero waste society. If you’re getting to grips with Zero Waste, what it means, and what it looks like in the UK as well as Internationally then the following definition should help. This definition has been has been taken from the Zero Waste International Alliance.
“Zero Waste is a goal that is ethical, economical, efficient and visionary, to guide people in changing their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for others to use. Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them.”
Zero waste is more than waste reduction. Every night 1 in 7 people go to bed hungry-that’s almost 1 billion people worldwide. People are hungry not because there isn’t enough food produced but because our food system is broken. In fact, 80% of the world’s hungry are directly involved in food production. We can address this hunger if we support small-scale food producers, tackle climate change and reduce food waste.
Today in both industrialised and developing countries unacceptable quantities of food are left to go to waste but for entirely different reasons. Take a look at the snapshot from an infographic, taken from engineeringforchange.org, here you'll see the difference between international Harvest vs. Consumer waste. There is huge potential to reduce consumer waste in the UK, and whilst it is difficult to accurately estimate the full social, economic benefits the evidence available suggests that between 2015 and 2025 around 20 million tonnes of food waste could be prevented. This would prevent £30 to £40 billion of food being wasted over the 10-year period (at present values), and avoid 60 to 70 million tonnes of CO2e being generated. The costs of achieving this could range from between £200 million and £530 million, over the 10-year period from 2015-2025.
On a micro-level, we can create change within our community. Here are a few ideas on how you can you support and create a zero-waste community. If you have any other suggestions please let me know and I’ll add them in.
1. Compost food scraps
2. Avoid or reduce single use packaging
3. Use reusable coffee cups
4. Use reusable shopping bags
5. Buy second hand
6. Recycle
7. Buy from bulk bins using own bags/containers
8. Take your own container to the butcher/delicatessen
9. Access sustainable production of fruit and vegetables
10. Join a community garden to grow
11. Eat real food
12. Cook at home
13. Bake or make something you would usually buy
14. Use vinegar and baking soda for cleaning, (reuse and refill spray bottles)
15. Use cloth wipes and cloth nappies
16. Seek inspiration out online, as an example head to Facebook and follow @LoveFoodHateWasteCommunity
Additional info and stats source links.
Zero Waste International Alliance
What’s wrong with our food system? An Infographic
The Waste and resource action programs -article on UK food waste – Historical changes and how amounts might be influenced in the future