You only have to look at recent tv documentaries, the news bulletins and school curriculum to notice the current poor condition of our planet today. Everyone knows that climate change is a thing and that the ice caps are melting like nothing before. But how many people are really thinking about it or understand the true consequences of our 21st century actions. How many people are actively trying to reduce their environmental impact, changing their daily habits and influencing others? Only now, are scientists and tv producers starting to share particularly shocking and stark figures. Is this the only way for our population to comprehend the future?

Hitchin Food Rescue Hub is an environmental initiative. It is run and maintained purely by volunteers with a very generous grant from the council which kick started the programme. Why are we here? Because our planet is running on empty and the resources we need and use are becoming ever more precious. We are filling every little gap in-between the housing and developments to discard our single or no-use rubbish into. It’s becoming a problem. A problem already too large to reverse the damage but not yet beyond our control. Hitchin Food Rescue Hub is here because we want to ensure we contribute to reducing the quantity of perfectly good food being dumped in our once green and pleasant land.

I won’t make a difference, said 7.5 billion people.

  • One third of food produced globally for human consumption is wasted. (1)
  • In the UK, three quarters of UK households’ food waste is still edible. (2)
  • In our home county, 21% of the average purple bin in North Herts is made up of food waste. (3)

Food waste amounts to a major squandering of the planets resources; water, land, energy, labour and capital. The energy, machinery, money and all our resources needed to grow, maintain, keep, preserve, transport and package food is excessive. To then waste this, is taking liberty on our own planet.

Much of the food thrown out globally, ends up in landfill. This eventually rots, releasing methane gas. Methane gas is termed as a ‘greenhouse gas’, contributing to climate change. Similarly, food production requires a huge amount of oil, to grow, transport, store, and cook food. Another hidden unaccounted-for greenhouse gas which is wasted alongside the food and both contributing to food waste having detrimental impacts upon the environment. So not only are we exploiting our natural resources, but we are now contributing to the rising temperatures.

Hitchin Food Rescue Hub hopes to influence everyone who walks through the door, starting by bringing your own reusable bag, rescuing your chosen food, making a donation and taking it home to cook and serve with your family and friends. The process doesn’t end at the door of the Hub, but should spark conversation at home or in the working environment, and shape others behavioural actions. We hope that with your rescued food, you will reconsider what impacts you can encourage on other aspects of your daily life. We can’t wait share a smile and a story or two. See you at the Hub!

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1 Food and Agriculture Organisation, 2019

2 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2018

3 North Herts District Council (2015)