THE damaging impact of household food waste from Scottish consumers will be put under the microscope in a new partnership between Zero Waste Scotland and Glasgow Science Centre.
The campaign will highlight the fact that food waste is the number one driver of climate change in Scotland and will look at topics including the carbon cost of food production, farming, transport and packaging processes.
Through a series of videos and eye-opening infographics on Zero Waste Scotland’s consumer-facing channel, Love Food Hate Waste Scotland, Scots will be able to delve deeper into the science of food waste with experiments set to be launched for budding scientists to try at home.
Other focus areas that will feature across social media include what happens when our food waste goes to landfill versus what happens when it’s properly recycled, giving consumers a “behind the scenes” look at this important issue.
Commenting on the partnership, Iain Gulland, chief executive at Zero Waste Scotland, said: “People often wonder how big the food waste problem is in Scotland, and this partnership with Glasgow Science Centre allows us to dig deeper into the issue and the science behind it.
“With Scotland’s fantastic natural larder on our doorsteps, the amount of food that is being wasted every year is devastating not only for the planet but also ourselves – given that we are a nation of food lovers. We must stop wasting edible food and recycle what we can’t eat to provide clean energy.
“We hope that this partnership with Glasgow Science Centre will help put the focus on how we, as a nation, can do more to reduce our food waste and, ultimately, our impact on the planet.”
Commenting on the campaign, Emma Woodham, climate change learning manager at Glasgow Science Centre said: “Our involvement in this campaign was a no-brainer, particularly given the pressing issue of climate change in our daily lives.
“By focusing on the science behind our food waste we hope to bring to light the detrimental effects that throwing away our food can bring to the environment and that the videos and experiments encourage consumers to think about new ways to reduce their carbon footprint at home.”
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