EAT HAPPY and Caritas Vienna: Together against food waste!

EAT HAPPY and Caritas Vienna: Together against food waste!

The initiative by EAT HAPPY Austria and Caritas Vienna to combat food waste is the expression of a joint commitment on the part of two organizations that are committed to supporting people in need. The cooperation was officially presented on September 29, 2024, World Day Against Food Waste. From autumn 2024, EAT HAPPY will regularly deliver sushi, bowls and mochi to Caritas facilities in Vienna, including the Caritas youth emergency shelter a_way. The aim of the initiative is to pass on surplus food in a meaningful way and at the same time support people in need Econews.

The partnership illustrates how sustainable action and social commitment can go hand in hand. Klaus Schwertner, the Caritas director of the Archdiocese of Vienna, emphasizes the importance of food and the need for cooperation. EAT HAPPY has been involved in Caritas social projects for many years and organizes Christmas collection campaigns for gifts, drugstore products and winter clothing.

Cooking together to combat food waste

Another notable project is ToNoWaste, which offers free cooking workshops to combat food waste. These workshops have been taking place in the communal kitchen in the Brotfabrik cultural center since May 2024, where participants learn how to conjure up tasty dishes from surplus food. The Italian salad Panzanella, made with stale white bread, overripe tomatoes and fresh basil, is an example of creative ways to reduce food waste. Community cooking also offers the opportunity to share your own methods to combat food waste and discuss how Caritas Vienna reported.

The workshops are multilingual, which encourages broad participation. The first series of workshops has already generated great interest, and the next event will take place on September 26, 2024. Interactive group work and practical demonstrations of preservation methods complement the program and offer participants valuable knowledge in handling food.

Food waste globally and locally

Food waste is a global problem that has enormous environmental and economic impacts. Loud YOU H A third of all edible food is lost worldwide. In Germany, for example, around 18 million tons of food end up in the trash every year, which corresponds to a per capita loss of around 78 kilograms. This leads to unnecessary consumption of agricultural resources and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2015, the federal government committed to the UN sustainability goals and has set itself the goal of reducing food losses by half by 2030. In order to achieve this goal, binding reduction targets and legal regulations on food donations are necessary. Initiatives such as food sharing and the projects of EAT HAPPY and Caritas Vienna help to raise public awareness of this important issue and offer practical solutions.