Zero Waste Week 2020 – Food Waste

It’s finally been revealed! This year’s Zero Waste Week theme for 2020 is food waste. It’s an excellent theme, because it’s undeniable that the UK (and indeed the world) needs to tackle this pressing issue. Whilst things are getting better; a lot of damage is done when we ignore the problems related to food waste and there is significant room for improvement. We’ll explore this in more detail soon, but with the 13th annual campaign fast approaching; it’s time to get ready!

Zero Waste Week 2020 Prep

The best way to start most zero waste weeks is to take stock, audit and observe habits and 2020 is no different.

Good habits come about from being honest about the bad ones. So, over the next few days, live life as you normally would but, keep track and be honest. Hopefully, you’ll find things you are doing well on (and never forget to acknowledge these to yourself) as well as ways you can be better.

Whether fruit, dairy, bread or anything else; if you thrown it out, jot it down!

Why not use this handy audit provided by Zero Waste Week itself to help?

This is available in PDF form too.

My Observations

Frustratingly, the external food collection bin at home has gone missing recently. This is something that will need to be addressed ASAP but given we are still in COVID times, I’m not willing to travel further afield (also there is a carbon cost to that) and equally it wouldn’t be right to send to landfill. So, we’re having to store extra food waste until this is resolved.

This situation has made me hyper aware of my home’s food waste habits, even prior to audit. The source is the occasional carrot and more regularly, leftover dinners. This isn’t a good thing, but it does give a clear and obvious starting point. Either there needs to be less of both to begin with or ways to use them up need to be found. It’s perfectly OK to not be perfect in these things but it helps to be willing to identify, address and improve where you can.

What are your most common food waste sources? Going into ZWW, where do you think you should start?