At home and in Europe, people are mobilizing against food waste. In Canada, an estimated 40% of food that we produce is wasted; that accounts for at least $25 billion in losses every year! While many people are under the impression that most of these losses are accounted for by businesses, 47% of waste comes from individual consumers.
People have the ability to change certain personal habits, and companies can also take action in a number of ways. For example, they can opt to use “damaged” food when preparing meals on-site, or donate unused supplies to a food bank. Plus, more and more grocery chains are following suit!
Sharing is caring
Innovative projects have started cropping up in cities, as is the case with self-serve refrigerators. While there are very few in operation, these community refrigerators allow people to drop off food they’re not using so that someone else can enjoy it. If outdoor refrigerators aren’t ideal given the challenges they can pose (vandalism, frost during winter, etc.), those that are placed indoors under surveillance can also help lots of people.
This is the chosen method for a number of student co-ops in the Montreal area. Co-op members leave their unused food in the common fridge so they can share with other students. With MTL Cool as a partner on this project, you can learn more about this initiative by checking out our case study.
Mauricie setting the example
Collège Laflèche in Trois-Rivières installed a community refrigerator in January 2017. A few months later, during the back to school season, it was home to surplus vegetables from residential gardens. One young woman even dropped off eggs that came from her own chicken coop! Approximately 30 students are estimated to be using this self-serve refrigerator every single day.
Looking to launch an anti-waste project at your company or in your community? We can help you decide which equipment will serve you best.