Tools for the Prevention Thematic Days 2014 are now online!
This year’s edition of the EWWR will, in the scope of the Prevention Thematic Days, focus on food waste prevention. To highlight this topic and to encourage and support everyone interested in implementing an Action during the EWWR around this issue, a number of tools addressing “Stop Food Waste!” have been developed and are now available online:
- 8 factsheets that explain how to organise specific communication actions on food waste prevention (Composting training, Feeding the 5000 event, Food donation campaign, Gleaning, Food waste diary, Workshop: Cooking with leftovers, Zero waste lunch, Eco-restaurant) – available in 7 languages
- 7 more practical support documents (Food waste and its impacts: Do you dare to be aware? And two Practical guide: Zero waste lunch and Composting & four documents on Tips to reduce food waste: Shopping & Planning, Storing food, Cooking & Eating, Use-by / Best-before dates)
- 2 food waste calculators, one for restaurants, one for citizens (private households)
- Promotional poster to advocate for the PTDs 2014, available in 7 languages
All documents are available for download (without access code) from the Stop Food Waste page.
On the same page, you can also browse interesting links which offer a collection of practical tips, recipes and inspirational ideas on how to prevent food waste in the kitchen, in a very simple but effective way, everyday: cooking with Leftovers!
We today know from reliable United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) statistics that around one third of the food produced globally is lost or wasted: we are thus well aware that food waste represents a substantial loss of resources such as land, water, energy and labour.
Put into relation, these numbers tell us that the entire world’s hungry people could be “lifted out of malnourishment on less than a quarter of the food that is wasted in the US, UK and Europe”, as Tristam Stuart affirmed in his 2009 book, Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal.
Background – Prevention and the 3R
In around two months, the European Week for Waste Reduction will start its 2014 edition! The week will take place all over Europe from 22 to 30 November 2014. Anyone is welcome to take part by registering an action, committing to be a Coordinator or participating in an action taking place close to you!
Actions implemented during the EWWR address the “3Rs”: Reduce waste, Reuse products, Recycle material. Following this hierarchy, waste prevention (including strict avoidance, reduction at source and reuse) should always be the first priority. Accordingly, waste prevention holds a strong place in the European Week for Waste Reduction. To highlight this, annual Prevention Thematic Days will be implemented during the Week throughout Europe.