Food waste is a huge issue in the UK, with an estimated 9.5 million tonnes being thrown out each year, the vast majority of which ends up in landfill. The biggest source of this waste is households, being responsible for over 70% of food waste. Fortunately the amount of food waste is on the decline, having fallen 15% from 2011, however, there is still a long way to go. 

There are many ways to reduce food waste such as changing our buying and consumption habits or composting, and linked below is some practical advice:

• BBC's guide to reducing food waste
• 10 tips from the BHF
• How to set up home composting

Buying LOAF (Locally produced, Organically grown, Animal friendly, Fairly traded) food is also a great way to cut down on the carbon footprint of your diet and support more sustainable food producers, examples of which are linked:

• National Fairtrade purchasing guide
• An article about budget Fairtrade options
• A list of some local food producers across Merseyside
• UK based halal and Tayyib farm with an emphasis on ethical rearing, sustainability, and quality
• Europe's only Kosher farm located in Kent

​Eating vegan or vegetarian food can also have an enormously positive impact on the environment, with vegan diets having the potential to reduce an individuals carbon footprint from food by up to 73%. Of course we do not expect everyone to suddenly go vegan overnight, but even having a vegan meal once a week can make a huge impact. Linked below are some great budget friendly vegan recipes to try:

• 130 recipes from BBC good food
• 35+ Vegan meat alternatives
• 30 Vegan desserts​