This week is the UK’s first ever Food Waste Action Week, organised by the national Waste and Resources Action Programme, WRAP. Warwickshire County Council is committed to supporting this campaign...
This week is the UK’s first ever Food Waste Action Week, organised by the national Waste and Resources Action Programme, WRAP.
Warwickshire County Council is committed to supporting this campaign, which highlights that reducing food waste directly reduces carbon emissions and everyone can do their bit.
For many years, the county council has spread the message to Warwickshire households that up to £600 a year can be saved per household by reducing food waste. The basic message is to buy what you need and eat what you buy.
Before heading to the shops (or sitting down to place an online order) households are advised to have a chat with their family to plan meals for the week. The next stage of good practice involves writing a list, remembering to check what is already in the fridge and cupboards.
It’s very important to look at use by dates, and don’t risk eating anything that may be off. But best before dates are guidelines and are about food quality rather than safety. Items in the fridge can safely be frozen any time up to the use by date. More food and drink can be frozen than consumers think and there are lots of tips for preserving food at the Love Food Hate Waste website.
Food storage boxes can be used to make produce last longer and to save leftovers for later. The Love Food Hate Waste website has lots of delicious recipes for using up leftovers.
The county is inviting stories about waste-reducing culinary successes on its Warwickshire Recycles social media channels. This week on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram it will be sharing tips on reducing food waste and reducing the carbon footprint by giving thought to how people buy and cook food.
The best way to work towards reducing the impact that waste has on the plant is to sign up to Slim Your Bin. This is an all-encompassing waste tutorial, which goes through the many ways consumers can reduce waste and recycle more to help the environment. Not only will this invaluable knowledge save money on household bills, there are also prizes to be won for households and local charities.
Cllr Heather Timms, portfolio holder for Environment and Heritage and Culture who holds the Portfoilio for Climate Change, said, "This week, people across the UK are being encouraged to share knowledge and inspire change in the way we think about the food we waste. By following Warwickshire Recycles and signing up to Slim Your Bin, Warwickshire residents can explore the practical ways in which we can all drive down the amount of food we waste.
“Across Warwickshire, households are already taking steps at home to avoid food waste: planning their weekly shop, storing food mindfully, taking care over portion sizes and getting creative with leftovers. Keep a look out for our posts on social media throughout the week and share your tips using the following hashtag: #FoodWasteActionWeek
“With about 70% of all food waste in the UK stemming from households, we must all do more to reduce climate change by eliminating avoidable food waste. Any unavoidable food waste, like fat trimmed from meat or banana peels can be recycled in your green kerbside bins. All these steps will help us collectively to seriously reduce our food-related carbon emissions and combat climate change.’
More information about reducing waste can be found at: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/recycling