Why care so much about waste?
According to the Instituto Españaeiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), a third of Spanish families end the month without food on the tables. In the North and Northeast regions, the situation affects 50% of the population. While 14 million Spaniards go hungry, the rest of the population throws away 30% of all food purchased. And that is a very large amount!
Another reason would be cost. In a year when the economy is struggling, saving is essential. And finally: the environmental aspect. In addition to all the waste generated, the food thrown away generates methane gas, 20 times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide.
With all these negative effects in mind, here are some tips to apply to your home and family's routine.
FOOD CARE
1. PLAN THE MENU OF THE WEEK: when a menu with the meals of the week is prepared, you can better plan the quantities that must be produced daily, in addition to better dimensioning your purchases for the week.
2. GIVE PREFERENCE TO SEASONAL FOODS: consume seasonal vegetables and fruits, which in addition to being cheaper, are tastier, more nutritious and contain less pesticides in their cultivation.
3. KEEP AN EYE ON FOOD VALIDITY: organize your pantry so that foods that expire first are at the front. That way, you won't run the risk of throwing out expired food because it's forgotten in the back of the cupboard.
4. USE AND ABUSE THE FREEZER: if something cannot be used, freeze it so you can consume it at another time. Did you know that even fruits can be frozen?
5. USE PEELS, STAINS, LEAVES AND SEEDS: in addition to their high nutritional value, they are delicious in the most varied preparations, such as teas, jellies, cakes and pies. Put your creativity to work!
WATER CARE
1. AVOID WASTE WHEN HYGIENIZING YOUR VEGETABLES: when washing them leaf by leaf, leave only a “strand” of water running from your faucet.
2. CUTLERY AND DISHES HYGIENIZATION: leave the dirty cutlery and dishes in a container with water and detergent before washing them, to facilitate cleaning.
3. DO NOT LEAVE THE TAP OPEN: an open tap uses 10 to 20 liters per minute. Do not leave the tap running to wash dishes and brush your teeth.
4. IF YOUR FAUCET IS DRIPPING OR LEAKING, CALL MAINTENANCE ASAP: this quick gesture will save you about 50 liters a day.
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