Week dedicated to tackling food waste in Switzerland
In Switzerland, around 80 kilograms of food per person is thrown away every year. To raise public awareness and encourage people to take action, businesses, NGOs and public authorities are organising the first National Week Against Food Waste from September 12-20.
Food waste is one of the environmental challenges that everyone can take immediate action on, the partner organisations emphasised on Monday. According to them, much of the problem could be avoided through small changes in everyday life, for example when shopping, storing and preparing meals.
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If Swiss households were to avoid throwing food away for just one week, they could save around 30 million meals, according to the organisers. They also highlight the environmental cost of the issue: food waste accounts for a quarter of the environmental footprint of our diet – half that of all private motorised transport in Switzerland.
Switzerland has committed to halving food waste by 2030, “an ambitious target”, as the organisers acknowledge. However, many people are ready to change their behaviour, they say; all that is lacking is practical information or actionable tips that can be applied in everyday life.
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