In the UK, households waste 710,000 tonnes of potatoes every year. If we stopped this, it could prevent the equivalent of 330,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
When we throw away food that could have been eaten, we are not only wasting food but also the valuable resources that went into making it, including water, land, and greenhouse gases. By reducing the amount of food we waste, we can help the target of creating a net zero carbon borough by 2030.
In the UK, 70% of all food waste is generated by people in their own homes. Of the 6.6 million tonnes of food thrown away by UK households, 4.5 million tonnes could have been eaten. On a global scale, almost 3% of the world’s carbon emissions are caused by wasted food.
Everyone can make a difference and something as small as saving your leftovers and encouraging friends and family to do the same means you are doing your part.
Each of us can make small changes – saving one slice of bread, one potato, one drop of milk can all add up to make a big difference for us and our planet. Any food that you need to throw away can be recycled and turned into green electricity and compost.
You can even try the Olio app to find people giving food and other households items away to their neighbours for free!