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Food waste action week

Wasting food feeds climate change: Wealden District Council unites with Food Waste Action Week to break the cycle

The UK’s second national Food Waste Action Week is underway this week – until Monday 13 March – and Wealden District Council is urging residents to try and change their behaviour when it comes to reducing the food we waste.

The campaign is aimed at raising people’s awareness of the huge impact of household food waste on climate change and share practical advice, food savvy behaviours and tips on how we can all easily reduce the food we waste in our homes.

Roy Galley, Wealden council’s portfolio holder for waste management, said, “We are all somewhat guilty of throwing away edible food but can all learn more about how to start saving food, using up the food we have and cutting our food-related carbon emissions.

“Tackling food waste at home is one way we can all make a difference and save money – especially in these days of rising food prices alongside huge public concern about climate change.

“There are lots of ways we can do this – from keeping leftovers for another meal or using them in a different dish to being aware that you can use or freeze food right up to its use-by date to avoid food waste.”

Campaign group Love Food Hate Waste runs an annual survey of people’s habits and knowledge around food waste. This highlighted that 81% of UK citizens are concerned about climate change, but only 32% see a clear link with food waste. The survey helped to inform the theme of the Week and the development of materials to motivate people to act.

This year, Love Food Haste Waste found the public’s relationship with its freezers has become particularly frosty with many people not knowing how to safely freeze and defrost their food.

Used properly, the freezer is the king of the kitchen and freezing and defrosting just three key meat items that are commonly not used in time – fresh chicken, bacon, and sausages – could reduce waste of those items by as much as 15,000 tonnes per annum.

For tips on reducing food waste visit Food Waste Action Week 2022 | WRAP