Food Waste

An estimated $20 billion worth of edible food is wasted each year in Australia – an average of 298 kilograms per person. Food waste in landfill generates greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. Reducing food waste saves resources. Any remaining waste from foodstuffs can be recycled via composting, putting nutrients and carbon back into our soils to once again grow healthy plants. 

Tips to reduce food waste: 

• Plan your meals. Be realistic about how often you cook - don’t overshop 

• set aside an ‘eat me first’ section of the fridge and pantry - prioritise by shelf life 

• get creative! substitute ingredients and grow your skills in pairing flavours 

• Grow your own - you’ll get maximum shelf life and better taste  

• Eat your leftovers 

• Freeze excess food and produce 

• Encourage your restaurant to serve smaller serves 

Compost food scraps 

Even with our best efforts there will be some food waste to take care of, and composting is the best solution! Composting can be easy so with a little effort you can make your heap work for you. Some tips to increase the efficiency of your compost heap: 

• Save up your food scraps to add a nice thick layer all at once. Better yet, gather scraps from your neighbours too. Add once a week 

• Don’t forget to add some extra carbon, leaves or shredded paper, or even straw. These should be wetted 

• A layer of half composted material on top will protect the fresh materials from pests and help to retain moisture 

• Chop or shred larger items - use a shovel for a hands free option :) 

What if I don’t have space for a compost pile? Some alternatives: 

• Install a worm farm 

• Buy a Bokashi system, ideal for apartments (You can make your own) 

If you don’t have a compost bin or a worm farm, others in the community will take your food scraps to turn into a valuable resource. Sharewaste encourages sharing of food scraps. You can register as a household that will take food scraps or as a person who wants to share food scraps.