Haddenham FoodSavers

The "Haddenham FoodSavers" project is an opportunity for Haddenham Parish Council to engage with residents of Haddenham and local businesses with the aim of reducing food waste and carbon emissions, aligning with the UK's net-zero targets.

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 Haddenham produced 266,000 kg of food waste from April 22 – March 23. Adding to this, an analysis of general waste collections showed that 34% of general waste consisted of food waste, 69% of which is thought to be avoidable.

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.

So, what can we do?  

Reduce food waste

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. 

Food Choices

Animal products: Reducing animal products, especially red meat, will reduce your carbon footprint. Interested in finding out which foods have the highest and lowest carbon footprint? Our World Data provides data on greenhouse gases from different foods. 

Buy Local: buying locally not only reduces your carbon footprint but also benefits the local economy.

Seasonal eating: Buying seasonal produce dramatically reduces artificial growing conditions or long-distance transportation, both of which are energy-intensive and contribute to higher carbon emissions.

Food Waste Bin & Home Composting

Food waste: When food waste is unavoidable, it's important to use a food waste bin, not general waste. Olleco's website explains how Haddenham food waste is turned into valuable renewable resources.

Home 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.

Are you a business in Buckinghamshire?

If you are, you have a major role to play in our joint objective of achieving NetZero.

Help is out there! Buckinghamshire Business First, which provides support to businesses through Buckinghamshire, has launched Net Zero Bucks, currently a fully funded programme to help you understand your carbon footprint and receive a bespoke plan to reduce your carbon footprint and achieve your net zero goals. 

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, 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.