COUNTY council chiefs are supporting the nation’s very first Food Waste Action Week.
The week has been organised by the national Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to highlight the impact of food waste on carbon emissions.
Warwickshire County Council (WCC) is helping to spread the message to residents, that up to £600 a year can be saved per household by reducing food waste.
This week on social media, the team is sharing tips on reducing food waste and subsequently the carbon footprint, by giving thought to how people buy and cook food.
Families are advised to plan meals for the week before writing a list and checking what is already in the fridge and cupboards.
Other tips include to consider best before dates as guidelines around food quality rather than safety, and to freeze items which may exceed the suggested date.
The county council is also inviting stories about waste-reducing culinary successes on its Warwickshire Recycles social media channels.
WCC climate change spokeswoman Heather Timms said: “This week, people across the UK are being encouraged to share knowledge and inspire change in the way we think about the food we waste. By following Warwickshire Recycles and signing up to Slim Your Bin, Warwickshire residents can explore the practical ways in which we can all drive down the amount of food we waste.
“Across Warwickshire, households are already taking steps at home to avoid food waste: planning their weekly shop, storing food mindfully, taking care over portion sizes and getting creative with leftovers. Keep a look out for our posts on social media throughout the week and share your tips using the following hashtag: #FoodWasteActionWeek
“With about 70 per cent of all food waste in the UK stemming from households, we must all do more to reduce climate change by eliminating avoidable food waste. Any unavoidable food waste, like fat trimmed from meat or banana peels can be recycled in your green kerbside bins. All these steps will help us collectively to seriously reduce our food-related carbon emissions and combat climate change.”
Visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/recycling for more information.
