This March we are focusing on how to reduce our food waste to link with two national campaigns: Cultivation Street, celebrating community gardening, and Food Waste Action Week.
Both these campaigns aim to get people thinking about how to grow, buy, and eat food sustainably, reducing waste and so reducing your costs and benefiting the environment.
Did you know that a shocking 40+% of the waste in our household bins in Horsham District is food, which is often a waste of money and damages the environment! And the most recent report by WRAP estimates the average family with children loses around £80 per month on food nationally.
Cultivation Street
While not everyone has the time or money for an allotment plot, or the space for a larger garden, Cultivation Street helps encourage you to grow in any space, no matter how small, and showcases the transformative power of gardening as a communal activity, to improve your health and encourage biodiversity.
Some foods are simple to grow in small spaces and will mean you won’t waste as much. You could grow herbs and lettuce on your balcony or kitchen – salad and fresh vegetables make up 27% of our food waste! Or you can share an allotment with a friend or join a community allotment.
Find out about Cultivation Street and how it may help you
Food Waste Action Week 2025
Food Waste Action Week 17 - 23 March focuses on how much food is wasted around the UK, and how we can help reduce this waste. From buying loose fruit and veg, rather than large bags, through to freezing leftovers for other meals or visiting your local community fridge and pantry, there are so many ways to think about how to buy wisely and reduce your waste.
Visit the Love Food Hate Waste website for some simple hacks, tips and guidance to make the most of your food at home. Find out why it’s so crucial that we all do our bit to save our food from the bin, protecting our beautiful planet and saving money on your shopping bill too!
There are also ways to share the food you won’t use, such as the Olio App.
Local Initiatives
- Find your nearest Community Fridge Have you visited your local Community Fridge? Here you can rescue free food from local grocery stores which would otherwise be wasted.
- Find your local allotment: There are also many allotments you can get involved with across the District.
- Visit our Get Involved webpage for more tips and suggestions on reducing your carbon footprint, helping reduce biodiversity loss, and maybe even save yourself some money too.
- Sign up to our monthly Climate Action email newsletter: Get inspired through our regular newsletters.
- Contact your local parish council to see what actions they are taking on climate action.