Survey shows low concern for food waste

Published by Laurie Manetta on September 8, 2016September 8, 2016

September 8^th, 2016

While households are making efforts to save money by reducing their energy consumption, food waste is not a priority yet. However, in Ireland, over one million tonnes of food are wasted every year, namely around 80 kg per person.

Producing food uses large amounts of water and land, and leads to the release of significant greenhouse gases. When food is wasted, it needs to be transported to a waste facility, where it may sit in landfill and release further emissions of methane unless properly composted. With global population predicted to reach 9 Billion people by 2050, producing enough food will place further strain on the food system, meaning that action on food waste needs to be taken urgently.

A recent survey commissioned by Sainsbury’s shows that only 3% of UK householders are concerned by wasting food and yet UK families waste £700 of food a year according to the government food advisory body The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). To cut this kind of waste, initiatives are appearing like smart kitchen appliances to allow people to check on their phones what they have in the fridge. Sainsbury’s chief executive, Mike Coupe said : “The report shows that people are cost-conscious and making concerted efforts to turn off lights and minimise energy use. However, people are still overlooking the much bigger savings that could be delivered by simply throwing away less food.”

Image result for easy ways to reduce waste food

How can Irish people reduce their waste food ? According to the Stop Food Waste programme, there are three simple steps:

knowing your waste : what and how much you throw out, recording it and identifying the reasons. After that, you will be able to work to reduce it.
planning : by checking what you have at home before going shopping, planning your meals and having a planned shopping list.
storage : knowing the right place to store your food, organising it by expiry dates.

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