Challenge 6 - Food and Shopping

This Living for Tomorrow challenge looks at two of our favourite things! There is a fantastic selection of food producers and local retailers on your doorstep that offer everything from local wines and foodstuffs to that perfect 'one of a kind' gift!

Take a Minute

• Plant some herbs to go on the kitchen windowsill. Many herbs are easy to grow and having fresh herbs for cooking is great!
• Take re-useable bags for your shopping or, if you forget, recycle them. Some supermarkets offer plastic bag collection
• Try to avoid over-packaged products. Supermarkets are working on this but currently an estimated 40% of packaging cannot be recycled so ends up in landfill
• Reduce the amount of food you throw away by organising your menu before you shop and use leftover food in other recipes. The Love Food Hate Waste website has loads of good tips and recipes.

Take a Day

• Explore your local shops and get to know what's in your area. You will probably be surprised by the choice and variety! Our Local Producers and Retailers page lists a number of local outlets to get you started
• Grow your own fruit and vegetables, most varieties are quite easy to look after and cooking with such freshly picked crops is a treat. If you don't have much space there are plenty of varieties that grow just as well in pots on the patio, or even on the windowsill
• Set up a compost bin in your garden for peelings and weeds; the compost will be great for your veg patch! Visit our Lets Waste Less website to find out more about composting at home
• Start buying local, Fairtrade or organic produce. Try your local greengrocer, baker or butcher. If you're lucky, maybe there is a fishmonger near you? Our Fairtrade page offers more information about local ethical suppliers.

Take a Month

• Buy food in season and enjoy fresher, more nutritious and tastier food. It could also work out cheaper as transport costs will be lower
• Try to avoid products that have been transported by airfreight. Foods transported by air are often labelled with a plane symbol
• Make do and mend. Older generations offer valuable lessons on how to mend items showing wear and tear, or even making them into new items. If you no longer need items in good condition, take them to your favourite charity shop - they could be just what others are looking for!

Further Information and Links

• Fairtrade - what is Fairtrade and links to directories for local suppliers.
• Organic suppliers - listing of organic food and drink producers and delivery schemes.
• Vegan/vegetarian - listing of vegan and vegetarian retailers and restaurants and information about vegetarian living.
• Farmers Markets - schedule of local Farmers' Markets in Worcestershire.
• Local Producers and Retailers - a listing of local outlets.
• Food Miles - what are food miles and why do they matter?
• Leisure and Gardening - this Living for Tomorrow challenge offers hints and tips on enjoying our local countryside and making the most of our gardens.
• Let's Waste Less - information and advice on how to reduce, reuse and recycle waste in Worcestershire and Herefordshire and what happens to the rest.
• Love Food Hate Waste - national site offering advice on reducing food waste.
• BBC Dig In - Grow your own grub - helping beginners to grow their own fruit and vegetables.
• Big Barn - website dedicated to local food and produce, including postcode search and foodie blog.
• Slow Food Worcestershire carries out various activities to promote the links between plate and planet.
• Food Standards Agency- offer tips on eating well.

Local Businesses

• The Colour is Green Ltd - Worcester based online company specialising in recycled and carbon neutral stationary, greeting cards, eco fashion and fairtrade items. The company encourage the customer to be more aware of their carbon footprint.
• Little Soap Company - Holistically handcrafted natural soap made from the purest, finest ingredients sourced from sustainable vegetable oil plantations. The company is dedicated to help the environment and educate on the necessity of using non synthetic products on our skin. All packaging is recycled, recyclable and biodegradable.
• Ochre And Ocre sell to hotels, Bed and Breakfast's, and independent shops  a luxurious range of Organic Cotton table linens, kitchen textiles, and UK made gifts. The textiles are designed in the UK, and manufactured in Portugal, to Oekotex 100 standards. All packaging is from sustainable sources and is recyclable.
• Turtle Bags sell a range of recycled, natural, fair trade and organic goods with a message.

	Learn more about Food and Shopping Activities  Seasonal Food  Fairtrade  Organic Produce  Vegan and Vegetation  Farmers Markets  Local Producers and Retailers  Food Miles
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