Did you know wasting food feeds climate change?

30% of global greenhouse gases come from producing our food – we can’t afford to waste it.

It’s the first Love Food Hate Waste (LFHW) Food Waste Action Week 1st – 7th March this year and we have partnered with LFHW to help share simple tips and tricks throughout the week to reduce your food waste and fight climate change.

Wasting food feeds climate change.

Don’t believe us? Well, if we stopped throwing away the 710,000 tonnes of potatoes we waste every year in our homes, it could stop 330,000 tonnes of CO2e from going into the atmosphere!

When we throw away food that could have been eaten we are not just wasting food but the valuable resources that went into making it including water, land and greenhouse gases. That’s why during Food Waste Action Week (1st – 7th March 2021), we’re calling on everyone to understand the true value of food and to consider the impact of their behaviours.

You can start by whipping up tasty leftover recipes, using up edible broccoli stalks and potato peelings, storing food the correct way, and spreading the word to ensure that no food that could have been eaten goes to waste.

Image of planet earth, with half of it made up of mouldy bread. Text underneath reads 'Wasting food feeds climate change'

What can you do to reduce your food waste?

70% of all wasted food in the UK comes from our homes. That’s 4.5 million tonnes of tasty food wasted, and we can save every last crumb! Join Love Food Hate Waste (opens in a new tab) and spread the word about how to waste less food. Everyone can make a difference, and something as small as saving your leftovers and encouraging friends and family to do the same means you’re doing your part.

Top Tips

We have some tips below and you can find even more on the Love Food Hate Waste website (opens in a new tab) so you can get involved and help our planet.

  1. Plan before you buy. Check what is left in the cupboards and fridge before you go shopping so you are only buying what you need.
  2. Make sure you’re storing food correctly. Check your fridge is at the correct temperature with the Chill the Fridge Out temperature checker (opens in a new tab) on Love Food Hate Waste. Foods will last longer if they are kept at under 5°C.
  3. Check what you can freeze! Your freezer is your best friend when it comes to reducing food waste. Love Food Hate Waste have all the info on what you can freeze and how to defrost safely on their Food Waste Action Week page (opens in a new tab).
  4. Use up leftovers in other recipes to reduce wasted food – check Love Food Hate Waste’s leftover recipes (opens in a new tab) to see if you fancy trying something new.

 

 

More ways to get involved

  1. Follow Recycle for Greater Manchester on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (open in new tabs).
  2. Follow Love Food Hate Waste on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (open in new tabs).
  3. Spread the word about Food Waste Action Week!
  4. Check out our food waste education resources for teaching at the side of this page (suitable for KS2 and above). Find more resources and videos about food waste on our education page.
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