Soon, what we currently know as Earth may be consumed by rotten fruit and veg: mouldy apples, decomposing spinach and maggot-infested beef.
However, there’s no need to panic, the Inner West Council has a simple solution: recycling that wasted food.
The Inner West Council has committed to supplying a food recycling service to every household within its boundaries by October 2023. This means that we can take our food waste out of the red bin and into the green bin – that’s right, food recycling goes into the same bin as garden organics. Even spicy foods, bones and meat scraps can go in!
It’s called FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) and everyone in the Inner West will receive a starter pack, including a bench top bin before the 9th October.
Inner West Deputy Mayor, Philippa Scott, says that it’s the number one thing that we can do to reduce our carbon emissions.
The Benefits of FOGO
Did you know that 931 million tons (one third of all food produced globally) is wasted every year? When its sent to landfill, all of this food waste produces methane (a toxic greenhouse gas) which contributes to global warming.
“What we’re actually doing is reducing the amount of food that goes into landfill and reducing the noxious gases that food gives off when it rots in landfill,” explains Philipa Scott.
If we work hard and everyone contributes, we can help stop climate change and live a cleaner and more sustainable future, maybe not even having to worry about climate change at all.
One way you can help is by using the food waste bins in your home.
Be A FOGO Hero
Right now, the Inner West Council is sharing information on what this program is and how it will work.
Everyone will be supplied with their own bench top food waste bin, and everyone is encouraged to throw their food scraps into it so that they can be broken down and reused for a different purpose.
If you are worrying about the odour of the bins, there are specific liners you can put in to stop the waste from reaching the actual bin.
In addition, these liners are biodegradable, and break down in the compost. This contributes to making our world as eco-friendly as possible.
“I understand if people have concerns, so I would say that we have a lot of ways to support you through the council.
“So before you say no, have a conversation with the council and tell us what your concerns are so that we can help you,” says Philipa.
It’s a big issue, so the Inner West Council has committed to improving our food waste situation, and through that, our climate as a whole.
But it’s not just the government who has to commit. We do too.
