Eating Espoo carbon neutral

The city reduces its own emissions in various ways, but residents can also contribute by minimising food waste. Everyday actions, such as recycling and minimising food waste, can have an impact on individuals' own carbon footprint and, consequently, on Espoo as a whole. 

Avoiding food waste in households is not only easy but also sensible. After all, food is almost always paid for, and often it has been carried to one's own home. Therefore, there is no reason to throw away the same food and eventually send it to a waste treatment facility. 

In fact, the destination of waste is often closer than the waste bin. The majority of food waste in households is lost in the form of coffee. If you throw away a cup a day, it amounts to 45 liters or six packages of coffee per year going down the drain. 

When food waste accumulates little by little, it becomes harder to grasp its magnitude. However, reducing waste is possible through small actions. By avoiding impulse purchases, taking only as much food as one can eat on the plate, and utilizing ingredients that are about to expire, waste can be kept under control almost effortlessly. 

So what should you do when bananas are going bad or the last day of use for a chicken package is approaching? 

- It's worth looking for surplus food recipes online, for example, on the "Saa syödä" website or at Martat (the Martha Association), both of which can be accessed through the Helsinki Region Environmental Services' Koutsi service," says Iiris Tanner, an environmental expert at Helsinki Region Environmental Services (HSY). 

-I also tried the suggestions offered by artificial intelligence, and you can definitely get ideas from there, although some of the recipes might be a bit questionable. So you can check them out at your own risk, but the aforementioned links are a safer option," she laughs. 

In addition to recipe tips, the Koutsi service by HSY offers online courses that enable everyone to take steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Tanner's own tip is to create a list of favorite dishes for oneself and the family, which can be quickly used to plan a shopping list in the midst of a busy everyday life. 

-When you go shopping with a list, you usually avoid unnecessary impulse purchases. Especially if you remember to go to the store on a full stomach," Tanner reminds. 

For schoolchildren, preventing food waste is already a familiar concept, as it is emphasised starting from daycare and preschool. In school meals, food waste is constantly decreasing. This is even a requirement for Espoo Catering, which provides meal services in Espoo. 

For schoolchildren, preventing food waste is already a familiar concept, as it is emphasised starting from daycare and preschool. In school meals, food waste is constantly decreasing. This is even a requirement for Espoo Catering, which provides meal services in Espoo. 

-We are committed to continuously reducing food waste in our operations. During the period when we have been monitoring waste, its amount has decreased every year. Last year, there was six percent less waste than the previous year," says Johanna Andsten, Quality and Development Manager at Espoo Catering. 

The work in the kitchen is only part of the job. Reducing plate waste in the dining area is also important. Minna Ahola, Food Service Director of the City of Espoo, says it is good to listen to the opinions of students and pupils. 

-The best way to prevent waste is definitely when people want to eat the food. It is important to observe what kind of foods young people enjoy, but at the same time, it should be remembered that school meals also serve an educational purpose," she reflects. 

-Espoo Catering, among other things, has developed new vegetarian recipes together with home economics classes, and the best ones have made it to the menus," Ahola adds. 

The amount of vegetarian food has been steadily increasing in meal services as part of climate work. In schools, there is also a freely chosen vegetarian option available daily alongside other food choices. However, meat dishes, such as minced meat, still remain popular among students. 

-But there have been some very well-liked vegetarian alternatives as well, such as spinach pesto pasta casserole. And of course, traditional favorites like spinach pancakes, which have always been a hit," Ahola lists. 

Ahola's list also includes a somewhat surprising classic: long-cooked porridge with berry soup. 

-It has been in the top ten for decades, and its popularity doesn't seem to be diminishing," she laughs. 

Taking care of food waste is already a part of everyday life for children and young people, and even older age groups are becoming more aware of it. However, there is room for improvement in the handling of food that ends up as waste, as about one-third of mixed waste is still organic waste that could be sorted separately. 

-HSY's website provides more information on waste sorting for those interested. The site also offers a waste guide, which is a search engine that helps with sorting challenges. In addition, HSY offers free environmental counseling sessions that can be ordered for events, organizations, or resident groups either in person or remotely," lists Iiris Tanner. 

So let's learn from it and prioritise eating the food and putting the scraps in the organic waste, so that they can be utilised in the best possible way. The results will be visible in the Espoo Climate Watch. 

For more information: Espoo Climate Watch: https://ilmastovahti.espoo.fi/en(external link, opens in a new window) 

Koutsi online course platform: https://koutsi.hsy.fi/(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish) 

TEXT: Mikko Jaakkola