Food Waste

Did you know that almost half of Canada’s food waste (47%) occurs right at home? According to the CVRD's 2015 Food Waste Composition study, Cowichan Valley households that have curbside organics collection had an average of 12% of avoidable food waste in garbage totes, while organics totes were composed of 50% of avoidable food waste. 

Households without curbside organics collection experienced a higher percentage of avoidable food waste, as garbage totes had an average of 24% of avoidable food waste.

While composting can be an alternative to putting food in the garbage, the greatest impact is reducing food waste at the source. Follow the tips below to learn more!

Love Food Hate Waste

Food waste refers to food that consumers throw away that would otherwise be edible.

The national Love Food Hate Waste campaign aims to change Canadians’ behaviours and dramatically reduce food waste through three simple actions: 

• Plan it out. Planning meals doesn’t have to be complicated. In addition to reducing food waste, meal planning is often healthier and saves money.
• Keep it fresh. Keeping produce, dairy, and pantry staples fresher for longer gives you more time to use up the food you love.
• Use it up. Look in the fridge. Is there something that might go bad soon? Learn more about best before dates and get creative by finding recipes online to use up leftover ingredients.

reFRESH Cowichan

The Cowichan Green Community started reFRESH Cowichan to establish a food recovery system to reclaim unwanted food and food that is destined for landfills within the Cowichan Valley. This food is collected, sorted, and delivered through a redistribution network to increase community access to delicious, and healthy foods.