"We Are All Guilty": Food Waste Reduction Campaign in Toronto

Toronto has joined Vancouver and Montreal as part of the launch of a new education campaign aimed at reducing the 2.2 million tonnes of edible food that Canadians throw away each year.

Called "Love Food Hate Waste Canada" helping Toronto households dramatically reduce the average consumption of 120 kilograms of edible food that they reject each year.

It cost each of us $ 1,100 a year, just for wasted food, "said Greg Moore, founder of the National Zero Waste Council (NZWC), the organization that launched the campaign.

The campaign started in the UK 10 years ago and has reduced food waste in this country by 20%. according to a press release from the National Zero Waste Council (NZWC), the group that launched the Canadian campaign.

The NZWC is a group of 160 organizations, including businesses, non-governmental organizations and municipalities in Canada. share the goal of promoting prevention and reduction of waste

Fruits and vegetables are the food most often wasted in the city's green garbage cans (Martin Trainor / CBC)

"Comment reduce the amount of food w waste, how do we buy less, how do we buy more appropriately? "Mike Layton and city staff helped the NZWC launch its campaign with retail partners Walmart and Sobeys to Nathan Phillips Square Wednesday.

Layton says the city badociates "The Toronto has over 90,000 tonnes of edible food waste a year and it's a food that could be used in homes and that could to allow people to save money in the end, "said Mr. Layton.

" We are all guilty of it "

" We are all guilty of it. You forget something in the bottom of the refrigerator, a head of lettuce, a couple of tomatoes, and it ends up in the compost bin. "The message of the campaign is if you shop smarter, if you store your"

Walmart Canada has set a goal of eliminating food waste in its own operations by 2025.

] Anika Malik, corporate affairs director of the company, says that Walmart's approach is "a food that is still good to sell, should be sold, and for that reason you will see reduced food bags From the left: Greg Moore, Founder of the National Zero Waste Council, Anika Malik, Director of Corporate Affairs at Walmart Canada and Renee Hopfner, Director of Social Responsibility at Sobeys. (Martin Trainor / CBC)

"Food that can not be sold but I stay safe, and we work with local food banks across the country to make sure this food ends up on the plate. of someone that night, "said Malik Renee Hopfner, Sobeys' director of social responsibility. consumers to change their behavior.

"It's really about learning how to keep your food fresh, and [using] as much of your food as possible.We want to avoid food in landfills," he said. she says.

"We have a food relief program that allows our stores to partner with local community groups to ensure that all food can not be sold."

Michael Dewson and Anne Atkey are checking the fresh produce they need before going to the market to make sure what they buy does not spoil. (Martin Trainor / CBC) [19659009] Some residents of Toronto shopping at a Nathan Phillips Square market where the campaign was launched have already changed their buying habits.

"I'm buying smaller quantities more often now. Check the fridge before shopping to see what we really need, and it works very well, "says Anne Atkey

" For example, we bought several things today and we know that we will use them in all three next »

Michael Dewson agrees

"We are always very aware of food waste, so we always check things in the fridge to see what we should use first and make sure we do not mess things up" he said. said.

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