COP26 artwork shows how food waste feeds climate change

From Karen Thomas in Glasgow

The average UK family generates a 117 kg pile of food waste every six months and if we ranked food loss and waste next to nation states, it would come in as the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases – accounting for 10 per cent of the world total.

An artwork at COP26 highlights the impacts of food waste on global emissions. The Food Waste Effect by Amsterdam-based artist Itamar Gilboa hits home the point that “food waste feeds climate change”.

Gilboa has packed a glass greenhouse with 403 plaster-cast food items to show what six months’ worth of wasted food looks like. An LED tickerstream overhead delivers data about the scale and impacts of the world’s food waste.

This is something we can all help to tackle; households generate 60 per cent of wasted food. The installation calls for a weekly use-up day, making meals to use up items in our fridges and cupboards.

Newsy bits from Glasgow, @KT_environment