Third of all food 'wasted'

Did you know that 1/3 of the food that we buy we throw away which is costing the average home £420 per year?

In the UK, we produce enough waste to fill the Albert Hall every two hours and most of this will end up in landfill sites. Biodegradable waste, such as food and garden waste, breaks down to produces methane, which is a powerful green house gas and therefore contributes to climate change.

Household waste has an impact on climate change, especially recycling more, preventing waste food, and composting at home. Therefore, our top tips on household waste reduction will help you shrink your carbon footprint.

Tips to Reduce Food Waste

· Plan the food you need to buy - make a shopping list.

· Store food properly - do you understand the difference between sell-by and use-by dates?

· Cook food that needs to be used up in a large batch and freeze portions for use later in the week.

· Use the freezer to keep bread, cheese, butter, meat and vegetables fresh until you need to use them.

· Look on www.lovefoodhatewaste.com to find recipes for using up your leftovers.

· It's common for people to recycle in the kitchen but forget other rooms. Recycle the waste from all the bins in your house. For example, if you can recycle plastics bottles then all plastics bottles can go into your collection, including shampoo bottles.

According to WRAP's new report, "The Food We Waste", households in Northern Ireland throw away around a third of all the food they buy. 60% of this could have been avoided and of that 60%, nearly one quarter is thrown away whole or unopened and nearly 10% is still in date!

Ann Keelagher, Waste Officer for the Energy Saving Trust advice centre said

"Wasted food is a waste of money and a major contributor to climate change because it breaks down to produce methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas. If we in Northern Ireland stopped wasting food that could have been eaten, by reusing leftovers rather than throwing them away, it would have the same impact on carbon emissions as taking one in five cars off our roads."

For more information on waste or for free comprehensive advice and support on energy efficiency, renewable energy technology and low carbon transport, which could help you to save money, call one of our expert energy advisors on free phone 0800 512 012.