Food Waste is a SERIOUS problem. Here are some easy things you can do to help

A lot of us go through life, blissfully unaware of the issues food waste causes.

And if you’re not really aware of them, don’t feel bad. It’s not exactly a popular topic of conversation! Or perhaps it’s just swept under the rug. That’s why we’re here.

To do what we do, we need to know a thing or two about food waste. But it’s not the most exciting thing to talk about, so we’ll keep it short, lighthearted and interesting. All at the same time. Lucky you! (That isn’t sarcasm, we promise).

At the very least, you may learn a thing or two along the way that might just give you a new perspective on food waste.

Near the end, we’ll even show you what we’re doing to tackle the issue of food waste and how it can help you do the same.

1. Greenhouse gas emissions
At this point, you’re probably sick to death of hearing about harmful emissions that are damaging that little thing we call Earth. But this issue isn’t being preached for no reason!

Put simply, food that is left to rot in landfills produces methane. This type of gas is potent and can negatively affect air quality − it reduces the amount of oxygen in the air and is 80 times more harmful than carbon dioxide.

This can lead to several health and nature issues. For example, although trees make their own food using carbon dioxide, they need oxygen to process it into energy. And flowers rely on oxygen to survive. Without trees and flowers, the air we breathe will suffer, and resources we depend on, like medicine, food and water, will be scarce.

But how can this be? (the sudden sound of thunder and dramatic music lingers in the background).

Basically, if you put food you don’t want or that’s long past its expiry date in your household bin, chances are, it’ll end up in a landfill. Don’t believe us? Stick a little GoPro on that half-eaten sandwich of yours and see where it ends up. Actually, don’t do that. That’s weird.

And it gets scarier when you realise that, in 2019, 40% of UK food waste ended up in a landfill. Yikes.

2. Deforestation
Believe it or not, there’s a strong correlation between food waste and deforestation. About 70% − 90% of worldwide deforestation is caused by agriculture.

Sure, food is food − we need it to survive. But at what cost when such a large amount of food waste ends up in landfill. Not only is it a waste of resources, we’re jeopardizing the ground we walk on at the same time.

Unless something changes, what will our forests look like by 2040, when the global population is predicted to be at 9.4 billion?

3. Water consumption
Water is essential for food growth. That’s why agriculture is so heavily dependent on it.

It’s estimated that each year, we use 3.8tn cubic metres of water − 70% of this is used for agriculture. That’s A LOT of water.

It’s also a lot of water to waste on food that is grown but not consumed. We currently estimate that half of the water that’s used for agriculture is wasted. That’s alarming.

How the world is tackling food waste
We couldn’t leave it all doom and gloom. Strategies are in place across the UK to tackle food waste effectively.

And recently, this is thanks to the 2021 Environment Act.

Under this recent legislation, it is now prohibited to throw food into general waste bins because this causes them to go to landfill. Now, food waste has to be collected separately in food waste-specific bins. You can’t just be throwing it away willy-nilly.

How to tackle food waste in your home
You can’t account for everyone. But doing your part from the comfort of your own home is enough to make a difference. And as more and more people follow suit, well, we’ll be on to a winner!

Here are a few things you could try:

1. Plan your meals. And we mean plan!
Have you ever done a food shop and realised that an item you bought was already nestled safely in your top cupboard? Frustrating, isn’t it.

Or you bought that loaf of bread you forgot about. And when your memory comes to serve, you’re looking at a moldy mess. What a waste!

Before you do your shopping list of what you want that week, be sure to check you don’t already have anything festering away already.

2. Organise your stock
It may sound like common sense. But it’s worth storing fridge items, for example, at the front of your shelves and newer items at the back. That way, you’re more likely to consume older foods before they expire and go to waste.

3. Limit your portions
Sorry eating enthusiasts, you’ll hate this one. Try lowering your portions, especially in a family household. This will reduce the chances of food being left because someone thought they could master that burger that’s blocking their view of the TV.

4. Start using leftovers
Sometimes it isn’t always easy to perfect your portions. Have you ever tried making Spaghetti Bolognese for yourself and your partner but have accidentally made something that can feed a family of 12 and the next-door neighbour’s dog?

Instead of throwing it away, why not let it go cold, store it in the fridge and bring it in to work the next day?

Not only are you also saving money on grabbing lunch, you’re ensuring your food is not going to waste.

5. Educate, educate, educate!
As we touched on at the start of this article, a lot of people don’t fully know the consequences of the food waste issue.

This could be your own friends or family members.

And if you’re already well-clued up on the matter, or are learning something new from this article, it’s always worth spreading the word and encouraging those around you to do what they can from their own home, too.

Hopefully, we’ve shown you that it’s not all that time-consuming and rather simple!

What we're doing to tackle food waste
We make a lot of food waste bins. But in light of these new changes to food waste policy, we’ve been able to manufacture a game-changing bin that helps tackle the infamous food waste problem: The Artemis

Our Artemis 240 for Hackney Council
The Artemis comes in 140, 240 or 360 litres. Either way, you’re guaranteed a sizeable bin, purpose-made for the correct depositing of food waste. We even supplied over 600 Artemis‘ to the London Borough of Harrow the same year the legislation was passed.

Rounding things off
Hopefully, we’ve shown you just how serious food waste is. We wanted to lay out some options for you to make a difference and show you what we’re doing, too. Businesses and local authorities are using our expertise and manufacturing skills to fight against an important cause − and we’re all for it.