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.