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News release
Love Food Hate Waste
Residents of Linlithgow are being urged to reduce food waste by buying seasonal and local produce.
As part of the national 'Love Food Hate Waste' campaign run by the Scottish Waste Awareness Group (SWAG), the Waste Aware team will attend Linlithgow's Farmers' Market on Saturday 23 August to encourage shoppers to think about the amount of food they throw out.
Shoppers will be able to pick up information on how to reduce their food waste and will have the chance to win 'Love Food Hate Waste' prizes.
Figures from SWAG show that the average Scottish household throws away around £410 per year on food that could have been eaten.
Executive councillor for the environment, Robert De Bold, said: "The main causes of food waste are cooking too much food and letting food go past its use by date.
"At the moment, the majority of food waste is sent to landfill where it emits harmful gases that contribute to global warming.
"It is estimated that householders could prevent the equivalent of 1.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted each year in Scotland. Which is the equivalent of taking 1 in 4 cars off the road.
"Farmers markets are a great place to start reducing your waste by only buying what you need. By buying local and seasonal produce, you can also reduce your overall environmental impact."
For more information on how to reduce your food waste, visit www.wasteawarelovefood.org.uk (new window).
Date: 13-08-2008
