Haddenham FoodSavers

The "Haddenham FoodSavers" project is an opportunity for Haddenham Parish Council to engage with residents of Haddenham and local businesses to reduce carbon emissions, aligning with the UK's net-zero targets. We aim to achieve this by reducing food waste, conserving resources, and creating a more environmentally friendly and resilient future.

The impact of food waste on the environment is significant and concerning. In the UK, the issue is stark, with millions of tons of food discarded in landfills each year. These landfills become sources of methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide, contributing to the escalating problem of climate change. Specifically, the residents of Buckinghamshire are responsible for over 30,000 tonnes of food waste annually, which could fill up to 250,000 household wheelie bins. Unfortunately, two-thirds of the discarded food is still suitable for consumption.

The consequences of this waste are far-reaching, leading to increased global warming and its associated issues, such as severe weather, rising oceans, and disturbed ecosystems. Beyond the environmental damage, there's a considerable squandering of resources. The water, energy, and land used in producing, transporting, and processing these foods are lost a needless strain on our planet's resources.

Globally, food waste accounts for approximately 8 to 10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. In the UK, 4.5 million tonnes of edible food are thrown away every year. Addressing this inefficiency in the food supply chain is not just an environmental imperative but also an opportunity to make a positive change in society.

Key areas of focus for Haddenham FoodSavers:

Local Business and Schools Partnerships: Collaborating with local businesses and schools to promote food waste reduction.
Residents: To inspire residents of Haddenham to adopt minor adjustments that will decrease their domestic food waste and support local enterprises.
Awareness: To deliver an awareness campaign through an outreach phase, including community workshops, informative pamphlets, and engaging online content.
Food Recovery Programmes: Establishing a food recovery network to distribute surplus food from local businesses, farms and allotments to those in need.
Allotment: Encouraging the use of allotments and vegetable plots in gardens to foster local food production, reduce food miles, and promote sustainability.
Network: build and integrate into current programmes surrounding Haddenham.

To get involved, please contact Haddenham Parish Councillor Graham Monger on g.monger@haddenham-bucks-pc.gov.uk.

The Parish Council will also be investigating ways of encouraging villagers to cut the carbon footprint of their diet by making simple changes, for instance by reducing the amount of animal produce they eat with meat-free days, incorporating more pulses and nuts in their diet, or making lower-carbon substitutions like chicken or pork instead of lamb and beef. If you have any ideas on ways to promote these shifts, please contact deputyclerk@haddenham-bucks-pc.gov.uk.

Tips on minimising food waste

To cut down on food waste in your kitchen, try adopting these straightforward strategies:

Meal Planning: Map out your meals for the week in advance. Purchase only the items you need, keeping in mind who will be at home during meal times.
Inventory Management: Keep an eye on the perishables you have on hand and make sure to use them before they spoil. Organise a designated area in your refrigerator for items that should be consumed first, such as an "eat me first" section.
Using Technology: Utilise apps that are designed to help minimise food waste. For instance:

Kitche: This app allows you to track your groceries by scanning your receipts and sends you reminders to use up what you have.

Olio: This app connects you with neighbours, community volunteers, and local shops to share or pick up excess food at no cost, ensuring food isn’t wasted unnecessarily.

Too Good To Go: Through this app, you can purchase surplus food from retailers at a lower price, food that would otherwise be discarded due to looming expiration dates.

Love Food Hate Waste - This is a campaign run by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) aimed at raising awareness about the need to reduce food waste and helping citizens take action. It provides tips on how to store food properly, recipes to use up leftovers, and information on understanding food date labels.

Composting: Turning your kitchen scraps and garden trimmings into compost is an excellent way to enrich your garden soil naturally. Composting is a straightforward activity, and resources on how to begin can be found through local initiatives like Recycle For Buckinghamshire.