In the UK we throw out an estimated 6.7 million tonnes of household food waste every year, which accounts for around a third of all the food we buy.
Approximately half of this domestic food waste is edible food, which translates into a financial cost of £250 to £400 a year for every British household.
In addition to the economical impact, food wastage has an enormously detrimental effect on the environment, impacting on landfill and contributing to the production of greenhouse gases.
By adapting a number of simple measures such as planning when to shop for food and only making necessary purchases, consumers can considerably reduce their food waste.
Food storage is also an important factor and proper storage eliminates premature aging of fruit and vegetables, which in turn reduces the amount of wasted food.
Queue The Eco Cooler – An innovative hand made terracotta fruit bowl and root vegetable store with natural cooling properties:
The terracotta absorbs water poured into the bottom plate.
As the water evaporates it cools, helping to create the ideal cool, damp, dark environment to store potatoes, onions, garlic, swede and other root vegetables inside.
Root vegetables last longer if stored 3-4 degrees below room temperature and in an environment a little warmer than a fridge.
Fruit likes to be slightly chilled, but stored in the open air and light, so Eco Cooler also has a bowl on top which cools fruit just a couple of degrees. (RRP £69).
Web: http://www.ecoutlet.co.uk
Tel: (0207) 272 7233