by Asahatter

Created on: April 13, 2007   Last Updated: April 27, 2007

Studies in the UK have recently revealed that up to 30% of the food we buy is never eaten. Much of this will end up as landfill - a solution which is unsightly, unpleasant and potentially dangerous, as a large amount of decomposing food can produce methane and other expensive gases.

STEP 1 - REDUCE YOUR WASTE
The first tip for disposing food waste, therefore, is not to have as much! Buy only what you need and buy as fresh and an often as possible so that you don't end up with items in your cupboards or fridge which pass their best. Cook only what you know you and your family will eat - if you are used to piling up your plate like Mount Etna, then get out of the habit unless you regularly finish it all. Become adept at cooking with leftovers. This doesn't necessarily mean unappetizing mush - curries, cottage pies, stews etc. can all be created easily from the food uneaten during the Sunday lunch. Your parents or grandparents may well remember the World War, when throwing away food was actually a criminal offence - people were even prosecuted for putting bread crusts out with the rubbish.

STEP 2 - RECYCLE INTO COMPOST
Tip 2 is to get into composting. Again folk have some strange ideas about the safety issues here, but despite fears, a well maintained compost bin is not smelly, is not dirty, and will not attract vermin. You can either make your own bin from stacked railway sleepers or planking, or you can buy a ready made plastic bin from a hardware store.

Whichever you use, you should site your bin directly on the ground so that all of those lovely "good" bacteria and worms can get to it and begin to break down your waste into useful rich compost. If you are worried about vermin then line the bottom with a good strong wire mesh and bend it up so that the bad guys are kept out. A lid is also useful, as it helps keep your bin warm and dry - conditions which encourage the process.

Composting is an aerobic process - this doesn't mean that your carrot peelings start prancing around in leotards - but it does mean that in order for it to work the bacteria need air. Your best approach therefore is to create a mixture of items going into your bin and don't try and compress them down - it fact turning your waste with a garden fork will introduce air and help speed things along.

Basically anything that came out of the soil can go back into it - that's the way nature work, remember. Here's the sort of things you can use to keep that mixture fresh.

1. Your "waste" food, eg.
a. Uncooked

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