Coffs Families and Businesses Tackling Food Waste!

A pioneering food waste reduction program for local families and businesses, ‘Love Food Mid North Coast’, was launched in Coffs Harbour today (22 November 2019).

Coffs Harbour City Council, as a member of the MIDWASTE forum, is becoming a ‘Love Food Community’ as part of a NSW Government grant to deliver a two-year, whole-of-community program to reduce food waste in homes, businesses, pubs, clubs, resorts, aged care facilities and other food-related businesses.

MIDWASTE is one of four grant recipients, as part of the NSW Government’s Love Food Hate Waste program.

NSW households and businesses throw almost a million tonnes of food waste to landfill annually, costing households more than $10 billion worth of edible food each year. For the average household in the Coffs Harbour local government area, that’s $73 a week, or $3805 each year.

Coffs Harbour Mayor Councillor Denise Knight said ‘Love Food Mid North Coast’ will help families keep money in their pockets, support local businesses to increase profits and deliver considerable benefits to the environment. “In NSW, one in every five shopping bags full of food ends up in the bin and businesses throw away around 30% of their food. A significant amount of resources, such as water and energy, go into producing our food, and these resources are also lost when food is thrown away,”said Cr Knight. “We can all be part of the solution by taking part in these programs and making simple changes at home and work to reduce our food waste.”

The project will use the ‘Food Smart’ program for families and ‘Your Business is Food’ program for business to help them save money by reducing their food waste. Families who sign up for Food Smart will receive an easy action plan with information and ideas to help plan meals, stick to a shopping list, keep food fresh, serve perfect portions and love their leftovers.

Businesses will receive support to conduct a food waste review and cut food waste generated through purchasing, preparation and plate waste.

To register for the free, interactive ‘Food Smart’ and ‘Your Business is Food’ programs, visit www.midwaste.org.au

The Love Food Communities grants are funded through the NSW Government’s $105.5 million Organics Infrastructure Fund under Waste Less, Recycle More. This fund diverts food and garden waste from landfill by funding food waste avoidance education, kerbside organics collections, food processing and donations infrastructure and organics market development.

For more information about Love Food Hate Waste visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au

Pictured above with the Mayor at the Love Food Hate Waste launch at Coffs Library is Sophie Gribble from Coffs Harbour and her daughter Betty Madden.