INFLUENCE
EASE
When you curtail food waste you cut down carbon emissions. It’s that simple. When food is wasted so too is all the energy and water it takes to grow, harvest, package and transport that food. If the food waste ends up in landfill it rots and produces methane gas which is more potent than carbon dioxide.
According to a UNEP (UN Environment Program) report it is estimated that between 8% and 10% of carbon emissions globally are due to food that is not consumed.
While your action may not make an immediate difference, if everybody purchased only what they needed, demand would reduce, buyers would order less and growers would reduce or diversify production.
Here are some things you can do to minimise your food waste:
- Do regular meal planning
- Make a list before going shopping and only buy what you need
- Check use by dates on the shelf before buying
- Freeze leftovers
- Prepare homemade lunches instead of buying convenience foods
These small steps not only reduce your carbon emissions, they are good for your wallet also. They reduce your spend on wasted food but they also reduce your cost of waste disposal.
Every Little Thing Counts