This is where it all starts: if we reduce the amount we purchase, whether it is energy, food or consumer goods, we will reduce the amount we end up wasting and throwing away. It is estimated that the average household within the European Union spends over €400 a year on food that is thrown away uneaten because items are purchased, not eaten and left to go off, or are cooked in too great a quantity for a meal and then thrown away. The USA and Japan both waste up to 50 percent of all their food: Canadians throw out an estimated 30 million tonnes of food waste each year: that is enough food to meet the calorific intact requirements of the entire Canadian population. In Australia, 20 per cent of food purchased (estimated value AU$ 5.3 billion) is wasted each year; that is the equivalent to buying five bags of groceries and throwing one bag away. We need to start rethinking our attitudes to purchasing and to wasting our vital resources and start being mindful of all our waste and where it goes to.

There are many things we can all do to reduce our waste. 

'Leftover Soup'

This is a popular favourite here at Fonte de Baixo and one that I learnt working in the kitchens of a Zen Monastery. Take whatever leftovers you have a put them to one side. Slice an onion and a couple cloves of garlic and gently fry them in some good olive oil and then add a couple of bay leaves. When the onions and garlic are soft and golden, add the left overs and top up with either water, vegetable stock or tomato pulp and bring to the boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, remove the bay leaves and either blend to make a smooth soup or leave it whole for a chunky version. Serve with some fresh bread and olive oil and parsley.

Use a Shopping Reusable Shopping Bag

One of the easiest ways of reducing waste is to use a reusable shopping bag. The millions of plastic bags that are handed out each day by the retail trade and end up in land fill sites could be dramatically reduced if we all used a reusable shopping bag. The number of people that spend a fortune on solar panels and then go to the market and take away plastic bags never ceases to amaze us. Use your bag with pride.

Unwanted Packaging It is estimated that around 18 per cent of all household waste is made up of packaging from retail purchases. Why is this? The answer is simple, because so much of what we buy is transported around the globe the produce needs to be protected from damage sustained in the transportation and warehousing process. There is an easy way to reduce a lot of this unwanted packaging and that is to purchase what you need locally. There are many benefits for doing this - the produce is fresher, it's made or grown by local people, it keeps the local economy buoyant and local people employed, and it keeps the money we spend local. On top of that, there is less packaging needed as there is less transport and warehousing involved. Where possible purchase goods loose rather than pre-packed and where there is on-site re-cylcing remove the packaging and leave it there rather than taking it home and having two trips. If you have the opportunity, talk to your local retailers about ways of reducing this unnecessary waste from the system.

Think Twice, Act Once

Do I need it or do I want it? The difference is often the tipping point to our purchasing patterns and retailers know that. They spend millions of euros every year perfecting their marketing and advertising campaigns. We need to ask ourselves this question before we purchase anything....Do I need it or do I want it? Impulse purchases are not always needed...but the way they have been presented makes us want them. When making any purchase consider alternatives: borrowing, rental, libraries, etc.