OzHarvest’s Post

#GreenNudge: Nudging households: A visual prompt to cut food waste Today's nudge comes from Dr. Mark Boulet, a Senior Research Fellow at BehaviourWorks Australia, in association with Monash University. Mark has worked in partnership with OzHarvest - Australia’s leading food rescue organisation - for over five years, providing behavioural insights and research to support their food waste reduction efforts. By 2030, OzHarvest's mission is to halve Australia’s food waste, by diverting surplus food from landfills and delivering it to charities that feed people in need. 👉 What unsustainable behaviour needs to change:   Over 900 million tonnes of food are wasted globally at the consumption stage, with nearly 60% coming from homes. Household food waste is influenced by many factors, some, beyond individual control, such as food type and safety standards. However, everyday habits like overbuying, forgetting food in the fridge, and neglecting leftovers can be changed. These seemingly harmless daily-made behaviours waste food and lead to unnecessary purchases. It's crucial to use up leftovers and stocked ingredients before buying more. The challenge lies in the fact  that much of our food-related behaviour becomes ingrained, and we often don’t give food much thought until it comes time to shop, cook or eat. Additionally, identifying items in the fridge that need to be used up can be tricky, especially when food gets lost in fridges that are crowded and disorganised. 👉 The Green Nudge:  The OzHarvest Use it Up Tape™ functions as a practical  visual reminder for households. When families open their fridge or pantry, the tape prompts them to use up food that might otherwise go to waste. Householders can tear off sections to stick on food packets or containers, making it easy to identify what needs to be used up. Alternatively, larger strips of the tape can be used to designate a ‘Use it Up shelf,’ ensuring items remain visible, p,  don’t get lost or pushed to the back and forgotten. ➡ The result: The impact of the Use it Up Tape was tested with Australian households,  resulting in a 40% reduction in overall food waste within their homes. This reduction was particularly evident in the amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables that went to waste before the OzHarvest Tape had been implemented. Made available to the Australian public in October 2021, over 100,000 units of the Use it Up Tape have been delivered nationally since that time. Under a licensing agreement an equivalent version was created for The Netherlands (‘Eerst Op Tape’) and distributed to 40,000 Dutch households in collaboration with the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Are you aware of any other nudges that help to cut food waste? Feel free to comment or get in touch: hello@green-nudges.com

📱👩🍳 HELLMANN’S LAUNCHES AI RECIPE TOOL TO CUT HOUSEHOLD FOOD WASTE Launch your camera app, scan your fridge, and your phone will tell you what you can cook tonight. That’s the promise of Hellmann’s new Meal Reveal tool, which leverages AI tech from Google Cloud to allow households to use up the ingredients they have lying around and decrease the amount of food that’s binned. It was unveiled in the UK during climate action charity WRAP’s Food Waste Action Week (March 18 to 24). Hellmann’s aims to tackle the UK’s huge food waste problem: excluding the inedible parts of food, about 6.4 million tonnes of food that can be eaten goes to waste in the country every year, according to research from WRAP. Households alone account for 73% of this figure, throwing away £17B worth of food – this includes nearly three million potatoes, a million whole bananas, 1.4 million tomatoes, and the equivalent of 25 million slices of bread. This translates to 95kg per person or 247kg per four-person household annually. All this despite 7% of the British population – or 4.7 million adults – living in food poverty, and food waste accounting for 4.3% of the UK’s overall GHG emissions. Something has to change, and that’s what Hellmann’s Meal Reveal app is trying to do. “People never set out wanting to throw food away. Food waste is an unintended consequence of our busy lives, where we look in the fridge after a long day and see disparate ingredients but nothing to eat,” said Hellmann’s global VP Christina Bauer-Plank. “We saw an opportunity here to create a straightforward, easy-to-use tool.” The Food Waste Index outlined the importance of public-private partnerships in tackling the food waste epidemic. But these require support, whether that’s philanthropic, business, or governmental, said WRAP CEO Harriet Lamb. “Actors must rally behind programmes addressing the enormous impact wasting food has on food security, our climate, and our wallets,” she explained. “To take a collective approach is to recognise that no one actor can solve the problem alone, and that collaboration can create a movement that is more than the sum of its parts,” the report stated. #GreenQueen #sustainability #pollution #emissions #foodwaste #zerowaste #climatechange https://lnkd.in/ewBtFEG9

Olio Food waste hero! What is Olio? Olio began as a food-waste fighting app, providing a platform for people to share unwanted food with other locals instead of throwing it away. 7 years and over 6 million downloads later, Olio is now working towards a world free from all kinds of waste. Food to furniture, toiletries to toys; all these and more are now shareable on Olio, allowing you to declutter, support locals and help the planet - without even leaving your house. Olio’s 50,000 Food Waste Heroes also rescue unwanted food from businesses and redistribute it locally through the app. These trained community members have helped thousands of organisations reach zero food waste. With 6.7 million users worldwide, Olio has saved the equivalent of a whopping 115K tonnes of C02 emissions, 390 million car miles and 14 billion litres of water. Half of users are UK-based, but there are now Olio-ers all over the world, with particularly large communities in Singapore and Latin America. Since last year i have been trying to help our community in anyway possible. Everyone is in a financial crisis at the moment and i really wanted someway of helping others. After being in deep thought about what i could do next i stumbled upon an app called olio. This app is where you can request items that will not get used in other households. Items such as food, Household items, pet food, literally lots of things are posted on here! I picked up a few items that were useful to us and then wondered how i could help in return. After numerous clear out's i helped roughly fifteen to twenty people with items in my house that i no longer needed. I then became a food waste hero eight months ago and i visit stores including Tesco's and Iceland, collect food that has a best before date of the same day and then list it that evening. This helps to make sure nobody in the community goes without a meal. Anyone can use the app. I go to stores around 5.30pm pick up a collection, bring the items home and list it all on Olio so others can come and collect to make use of it. This helps to prevent food waste and feeds the community around you through hard times. Below is the type of food items you find on Olio, This is a photo of things i have recently collected from stores and helped to distribute. You can set it to your own location so you are notified when something becomes available that you can collect. Such a fantastic app! check it out for yourselves! #supportingOlio #Fightingfoodwaste

How to Reduce Food Waste and Save the Planet From 18 – 24 March, Food Waste Action Week is happening across the UK. The initiative shines a spotlight on the issue of food wastage, urging the communities across Middlesbrough and the UK to reflect on their food habits and make more sustainable choices. With millions of tonnes of food thrown away annually in the UK, the need for change has never been more urgent. That’s not good for your pockets – or the planet. Here are seven practical tips to help you contribute to a more sustainable future. 1) Plan your meals: Start by planning your weekly meals. This simple step ensures you only buy what you need, reducing the likelihood of food going unused and eventually wasted. 2) Understand food labels: Misinterpreting ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates is a common cause of food waste. Take time to learn what these labels mean, and you’ll find yourself throwing away less food. 3) Smart storage: Correctly storing food can significantly extend its freshness. Research the best ways to store different types of food, and you might be surprised at how much longer your groceries last. 4) Love your leftovers: Leftovers can be the basis for a new meal. Get creative in the kitchen and find ways to give yesterday’s dinner a delicious makeover. 5) Portion control: Cooking or serving too much food is a common issue. Be mindful of portion sizes to ensure you’re only preparing what will be eaten. 6) Compost food scraps: Instead of throwing food scraps in the bin, compost them. This not only reduces waste but also provides nutrient-rich soil for your garden. 7) Get involved locally: Participate in community initiatives focused on reducing food waste. Whether it’s a composting workshop or seeking out talks on sustainable food practices, getting involved can amplify your impact. By adopting just a couple of these tips, you can play a part in reducing food waste. Remember, every small action counts towards a larger, collective impact – to quote that famous supermarket catchphrase, ‘Every little helps’. For further resources, recipes and tips on reducing food waste, the website www.lovefoodhatewaste.com is an excellent place to start. Thanks for reading. #WestbrookeEstateAgent #Westbrooke #Linthorpe #TeessideEstateAgents #NorthEastEstateAgents #TeessideProperty #Northeast #Teesside #Firsttimebuyers #EstateAgents #NewHome #Middlesbrough #Stockton #Redcar #NorthYorkshire #PropertyManagement #SupportLocal #Lettings #Sales #Buyer #Seller #Familyhome

Is it the third biggest country? Is it the third biggest emitter? Almost. It’s about food waste and food loss: if it “were a country, it would be the world’s third-largest emitter” - behind the US and China. (source: World Resources Institute). Sticking to ‘thirds’ & another whopping stat: it is estimated that a third of all food produced (for people) in the world is wasted or lost (European Commission - EC). 👉Where is food wasted? -Between harvest & retail -Retail outlets - any place where you can buy food -Restaurants, cafes & fast food outlets -Canteens -Households 👉Because food waste is so huge there is a dedicated day! -Stop Food Waste Day is this week! (a couple of days ago in fact - 24th April) -According to SFWD’s website, 8% of greenhouse gases is from food loss & waste 👉Waste but a lack -Lots of food is wasted. But there is a lack of food and hunger in the world -If the wasted food were saved, it would feed 1.26 billion people (source: FAO) 👉Who’s the winner? -Households waste the most food! 60% of all loss & waste is from households -This doesn’t sound great. But then the solution could be easier (sources: UNEP, EC) 🙌Solutions? -The big retailers can make significant changes by accepting food that is outside of the 'norm' (odd size, too big or too small) -Luckily anti food-waste start-ups are popping up all over the place. These take the unwanted food directly from the producers and sell it to households. We have a membership with PimpUp, that is local to us in the south of France. You can look up your local one 👍 -Restaurants and other food outlets can link up with local charities to take the unused food -Food-sharing initiatives like Olio • Share More, Waste Less, connect households in neighbourhoods to share food, and they share food from restaurants and shops that is perfectly fine Other things you can do at home: -Instead of advance meal-planning, look at the food you've still got and start with that -Keep an unfinished meal for the next day, or add it to a sauce -With stale bread you can make breadcrumbs or bread and butter pudding! -A lot of veg is wasted from chopping off the ends and leaves. But some of this can be used, like the leaves of celery - chop them up and use as a herb -There are some online chefs who are really good at using scrap food. ‘Scrappy Cooking’ from plantyou is a bestseller! -Do you compost your organic food scraps? Composting in your own garden is really easy. Or check what composting facilities are available near you. Many countries are now collecting organic waste I’ll leave you to think about the things that you already do, or can change at home.👏 Happy Friday! #reducefoodwaste

Let's unite on the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste to save food and help those in need. Together, we can make every meal count! 🌍🍽️  #jadlifoods #InternatonalDayofAwarenessofFoodLossAndWaste #Zerohunger #FoodWasteAwareness #Sustainability #FAO #food #FoodWastage #FoodLoss

🍽️ Unmasking Food Waste: How Our Plate Habits Contribute to Emissions 🌍 Food is more than sustenance; it's a connection to our environment, culture, and community. Yet, hidden beneath the surface of our daily meals lies a pressing issue: food waste. From the farmer's field to our dinner table, food waste silently contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. Today we unravel the layers of food waste's impact and uncover practical strategies to combat it. 🌿 The Chain Reaction of Waste: From Farm to Fork Food waste begins far before it reaches our plates. On farms, imperfect produce is often discarded due to cosmetic imperfections or market standards. During transportation and storage, factors like inadequate refrigeration can lead to spoilage. When we purchase more than we can consume, the cycle continues at home, as forgotten ingredients spoil in our fridges. 🌿 The Environmental Toll of Waste Behind the scenes, food waste carries a hefty environmental cost. As discarded food breaks down in landfills, it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas that's over 25 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. 🌿 Empowering Change: Strategies to Reduce Food Waste Thankfully, we can all play a part in reducing food waste's impact. Here are some strategies that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine: 1. Mindful Shopping- Plan meals and create a shopping list before hitting the grocery store. Stick to the list to avoid purchasing excess items that might go to waste. 2. Portion Control- Serve reasonable portions to avoid leftover food that might end up in the trash. 3. First In, First Out- When storing groceries, place older items at the front of the fridge or pantry to ensure they're used before newer items. 4. Composting- Set up a composting system for food scraps. Composting not only reduces waste but also enriches the soil for gardening. 5. Repurpose Leftovers- Get creative with leftovers. Turn yesterday's dinner into a new meal to avoid tossing out perfectly good food. 6. Donate- If you find yourself with surplus non-perishable items, consider donating them to local food banks. 🌿 The Ripple Effect of Change By implementing these strategies, we create a ripple effect that extends beyond our kitchens. Reduced food waste translates to fewer greenhouse gas emissions, conserved resources, and enhanced food security for communities in need. Moreover, as individuals adopt these practices, they contribute to a larger movement toward a more sustainable food system. We as KIlimo Africa 🍃are committed to mitigating effects of climate change by manufacturing organic fertilisers from solid organic waste. However we also believe that every single individual has a role to play in the change we all long for, as we savour our meals, let's also savour the opportunity to nourish both ourselves and the planet, alongside Kilimo Africa🍃.

The world produces enough food to feed everyone, yet millions go to bed hungry every night. The paradox of this situation becomes even more glaring when we consider the massive amount of food that is wasted every day. The International Day of Awareness of Food Waste and Loss has been designated to bring attention to this issue, emphasizing the importance of reducing food waste and promoting sustainable consumption. Why is food waste a concern? 1. Environmental Impact: Wasted food decomposes in landfills and produces methane, a greenhouse gas that has a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide. This has serious implications for climate change. 2. Economic Loss: The financial cost of food wastage amounts to billions of dollars annually. This is not just the value of the food, but also the resources (water, labor, energy, and more) that went into producing it. 3. Social Implication: While vast quantities of food are wasted, nearly a billion people worldwide suffer from undernourishment. The food wasted could make a significant difference if redistributed appropriately. Where does food waste occur? 1. Farms:Due to strict aesthetic standards of retailers, many fruits and vegetables that don't meet the grade in terms of size or appearance are discarded. 2. Transport:Insufficient infrastructure, storage facilities, and refrigeration lead to food getting spoiled during transport. 3. Retailers: Supermarkets often discard food items close to their expiry date. 4. Households:Consumers buying in bulk or without a plan can often end up wasting food. Lack of awareness on how to store or use leftovers also contributes to this. Steps to Reduce Food Waste 1. Rethink aesthetic standards: Embrace the concept of "ugly" fruits and vegetables. These items may look different but taste just as good. 2. Educate & Create Awareness: Consumers need to understand the implications of food waste. Simple steps, such as making shopping lists, understanding expiration dates versus best-before dates, and learning to store food properly, can make a difference. 3. Improve Infrastructure: Investments in better storage facilities and transportation will help reduce waste at the agricultural and distribution levels. 4. Policy Changes:Governments can provide incentives to retailers to donate unsold but still edible food items to food banks or shelters. 5. Use Technology: Apps can connect consumers with restaurants or stores selling food close to its expiration at discounted prices. 6. Composting:Instead of sending food waste to the landfill, composting can help return valuable nutrients to the soil. Commemorating the International Day of Awareness of Food Waste and Loss isn't just about recognizing the problem. It's about taking collective action at every level—from individual households to global policies. As we move towards a more sustainable future, addressing food waste must be a priority. #foodwaste #sustainability

End Food Waste Australia's #NationalFoodWasteSummit reinforced the importance of sector-specific collaboration in combating #foodwaste. 💡 As my colleague Sam Quirk has mentioned, one of our research projects at RMIT focusses on developing a Sector Action Plan for the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector. Addressing the challenge of food waste in this sector requires a unified approach from all stakeholders. 🤝 If you're part of the #QSR sector, whether in corporate roles or on the kitchen floor, your insights are crucial to our research. Join us in this important effort to reduce food waste and create a more sustainable future! 🌍 Check out the article below to learn how you can get involved.

Very little #foodwaste goes into the compost bin in Conor Spacey’s house. Instead, leftover cake goes in the freezer until it can be rebaked, carrot tops are used for pesto, and the water from a tin of chickpeas makes a cream substitute. While Spacey, a chef from #Wexford in south-east Ireland, doesn’t eat meat, he has learned from butchers the value of using every piece of an animal, and applied it to fruit and vegetables. His “vegetable butchery” means beetroot skins are used for chutney, over-ripe bananas for ketchup, stale bread for hummus, and any other leftover veg is mixed with spices and turned into kimchi. But putting anything into the compost is seen as defeat. “I get that putting things in the compost bin is better than it going to the general waste, but it is an easy way to go, ‘it’ll help someone’. I have a goal of making it so that everything can be used,” he says. The cost of living crisis and concerns about sustainability have brought more calls for homes to reduce waste. A study from the #climateaction organisation Wrapreveals that more than 70% of food that is wasted in the #UK comes from households – an amount worth £14bn every year. And researchers from the #UniversityofSheffield recently found stark differences in the amount of food wasted by households that grow their own food, and those that buy everything from the supermarket. Researchers Jill Edmondson and Boglarka Zilla Gulyas found that those who grow their own in fruit and veg in gardens and allotments typically waste just 3.4kg every year, compared with a national average of 68kg. “The study suggests that someone who values, grows and is invested in food will be less likely to waste it, because they have invested time and effort in it,” says Edmondson. “If an apple had a bit of mould, the general population would probably chuck it away, whereas this cohort is more likely to use it.” Research carried out in the past in #Germany and #Italy has suggested that the greatest amount of food waste comes from people who buy their groceries exclusively in large supermarkets. Vegetable magic Spacey has worked at reducing food waste over the last 15 years and has just brought out a book, Wasted, with a selection of “root-to-tip” recipes which aim to use every part of the vegetable. The main body of a carrot can be used for piccalilli, crisps or soup, and the leaves for salads and pesto; a beetroot can be pickled, while the stems and leaves can be used for salads. Leftover scones and banana bread can be mashed up and rebaked into “Chester cake”, or “donkey’s gudge”, typically sold cheaply by bakers. Inspiration comes from recent history – pickling vegetables, for example, was very popular two or three generations ago – and some unlikely sources. The idea of using banana skins in recipes came from a chef in #Brazil, who was promised ham for a pasta dish to feed the needy but had to make do with banana skins.