There seem to be Awareness Days for everything and in March there are two of particular interest to those concerned about the environment and their wallets!

March 11^th to 17^th 2024 is Compost Week. The idea is to promote embracing sustainability, reducing waste and as a by-product saving money on shop bought compost and the emissions from the transportation/production of that.  Maybe you have been composting for years, maybe you have a compost bin languishing in a corner that could be put to good use. You don’t need a bin of course; a heap works perfectly well.  Excellent advice is available on the RHS, BBC and Garden Organic websites.  Give it a go!

Hot on the heels of Compost Week is Food Waste Action Awareness Week, 18^th – 24^th March.  Love Food Hate Waste runs the annual campaign aimed at reducing the amount of food which is wasted in UK homes. 

Currently, 60% of the food that is wasted in the UK is wasted by people in their own homes.  That’s 4.7 million tonnes of food being thrown away every year that could have been eaten. Figures vary but it’s been estimated that the average family waste up to £700 of food every year. Love Food Hate Waste aims to educate and inspire people to keep food out of the bin and on their plates.

Apparently 1.4 million bananas are wasted every day in the UK!  This simple ice ‘cream’ is delicious. Peel them, cut into pieces and freeze.  When frozen add a little lemon juice and some vanilla essence (both optional), blitz to make instant ice cream.  Its so easy to put food in the food bin, when we could do more with it, help our bank balances and the planet.

Love Food Hate Waste have a great website with top tips and recipe ideas for whatever you need to use up: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

There will also be an event in the Castle Quay Community Space on Thursday 21^st March, where there will be resources to help save on food waste.  It is running 9.30am – 1.30pm, so please do come and see us!