By Mary Bennett
The UCV Zero Waste Team proclaims: December as “Love Food Hate Waste” Month
Register Here
https://vancouver.breezechms.com/form/zerowaste
- Thursday, December 2nd, 2021
- 6:30 – 8 pm
- Fireside Room (or zoom)
*For in person events, must be fully vaccinated if over 12
Above: Ben Liegey and Vivian Davidson, producers and hosts of the Food Synergy Movie
Agenda
- 6:30-6:45: Mary will welcome people, introduce Zero Waste team (what it does, could do) and explain the Drawdown Ecochallenge – Metro Van Unitarians team.
- 6:45-7: Cynthia Lam and Karl Perrin will talk about the Drawdown project highlighting issues related to food waste and/or IBPOC
- 7-7:30: Vivian will talk about the Food Synergy film as a focus for various issues around food waste e.g. the 7 stages. Your questions and comments welcome
- 7:30-8: Mary will facilitate a discussion on your goals re: food waste and ask for feedback on “next steps” for Zero Waste sub-team. (Mary is now UCV Board President and will be stepping down as Zero Waste chair after the end of the Drawdown Ecochallenge (December 31)
Food Synergy Movie — from Farm to Plate
Vivian Davidson, one of the producers of the Food Synergy Movie, will talk about what she’s learned exploring the 7 stages from farm to plate.
Drawdown EcoChallenge — Metro Van Unitarians
Mary Bennett, Zero Waste Team lead, will encourage you to join her and other Unitarians in a month-long Drawdown Ecochallenge to explore food waste and possibly develop some new habits.
From Zero Waste Canada comes this initiative: Love Food Hate Waste: https://lovefoodhatewaste.ca/
UCV Zero Waste Team proclaims: December as a “love food; hate waste” month for local Unitarians to set some food-related goals and check in with each other. For many years (indeed before “zero waste” was used as a term) there’s been an event at UCV to encourage people to resist the pull towards consumerism and waste. I remember Peg Woods and Joyce Griffiths giving tips.
We all need support when society pushes us towards purchases and activities that aren’t in alignment with our Unitarian values.
Youth Kit: https://lovefoodhatewaste.ca/use-it-up/youths-take-action/
From Mary
If you know me, you know that I do, indeed love food. I love growing it, cooking it, chopping it, fermenting it and, most of all, sharing it. My approach to lowering food waste might not work for you, but you might enjoy hearing some of my tales of using my Buy Nothing group to give and receive food that might otherwise go to the landfill; my current jar painting project to make purchasing bulk dry goods work better and my cupboards look more interesting or being introduced to the free herb garden at UCV – Please don’t buy plastic-wrapped sprigs of sage or rosemary for $5 ever again!
Our Goals – Your Goals
Here are some of the food-related goals suggested in the Drawdown challenge. Are there some here, you’d like to challenge yourself around?
Sign up here:
The first three challenges are suggested for everyone who joins
| 1 | KEEP TRACK OF WASTED FOOD I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during Drawdown Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation |
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| 2 | REDUCE ANIMAL PRODUCTS I will enjoy _____ meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge |
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| 3 | LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT EXPIRATION DATES I will spend at least _____ minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates |
SMALLER PORTIONS
I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food
SUPPORT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS
I will source _____ percent of my food from local producers each day. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmers market, visiting a food co‑op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients
PRACTICE THE 5 Rs
I will practice the 5 Rs — Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle — to reduce my waste more than I can with just recycling alone
SMART SEAFOOD CHOICES
I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean
I will tend to a garden, or prepare for one, each day using sustainable gardening practices
EAT MINDFULLY
I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper
I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding _____ cups of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day
Food Waste in Canada
the facts
