Food Waste campaign


A city that is serious about reducing its carbon footprint will need a radical shift in its attitude towards food waste, by both avoiding wasting food in the first instance and by using unavoidable food waste as a resource. It will require residents, businesses and statutory services to change the way they operate but these challenges aren’t insurmountable. Here Olivia Reid from Terre à Terre talks about the restaurant’s approach to this issue. Terre à Terre vegetarian restaurant


has always been driven by environmental considerations, not only in the sourcing of its raw materials, but also in the responsible disposal of waste products in a manner that is sympathetic to the interests of the local community, as well as society as a whole. Owners Philip Taylor and Amanda


Powley realized that vegetarianism was only one step towards a positive vision of the world and of how we live together. Terre à Terre as a business needed to reduce its ecological footprint as much as possible through additional efforts linked to resource consumption and pollution. Terre à Terre also acknowledged its responsibility as a communicator of mainstream sustainable development. Limited by the building it exists in


and the financial resources available, Terre à Terre identified waste management as the most feasible area to drive forward. Within the choices made, two current and local


initiatives stand out, The Big Lemon and Village Green Recycling. Terre à Terre has recycled its used


cooking oil for many years, but over the last year has engaged in a wonderfully symbiotic relationship with the Big Lemon bus company. Terre à Terre purchases local rapeseed oil from them and returns it to them in its used state. They re- cycle the oil locally and use it as bio fuel on their central bus and coach hire service. Working with this community-focussed enterprise also engages with the local community, empowering people to make a difference to their lives, their community and the environment. As a vegetarian restaurant,


Terre à Terre knew it could compost most of its food waste and therefore reduce its carbon footprint by utilising the natural vermiculture composting process (worms to you and me) to convert food waste into a resource – soil, while at the same time reducing the harmful emissions produced by food in landfill. After struggling for years to locate a company willing to provide this service, they discovered Village Green Recycling in 2009. They immediately committed to a collection twice weekly and implemented a completely new waste management system within the kitchen and on the restaurant floor to ensure the


process was as simple, clean and efficient as possible for their new composters. These two steps, working with the


worms and the buses, alongside a full recycling programme, a switch to eco-tricity and a conscious decision to introduce food portion control via multiple size options on the menu, are still only small steps and Terre à Terre will endeavor to seek out and campaign for new initiatives to assist with the development of a greener economy.


Ask your favorite restaurant what they are doing to reduce the environmental impact of their food waste and let us know about anything good that is going on. If you are a food business interested


in avoiding your fruit and vegetable waste going to landfill contact Village Green Recycling to find out about their green food waste collection service. www.villagegreenrecycling.com Tel: 01323 811289 If you are a restaurant interested in


having your waste oil collected contact The Big Lemon on www.thebiglemon.com or call them on 01273 681 681 Terre à Terre Vegetarian Restaurant


is on East Street, Brighton and is open every day for lunch and dinner. For more details and to book call www.terreaterre.co.uk or 01273 729051


www.bhfood.org.uk 7


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