Hillingdon Council has launched a competition for local primary aged children inviting them to share creative and sustainable ways to store food waste indoors to try and win a prize.
Children aged between four and 11 are tasked with finding or repurposing a container in their home, such as an ice cream tub or old lunchbox, that could be used as a food waste caddy.
The initiative encourages children and their families to learn about food waste recycling and its benefits to the environment. It helps people reduce waste, save money and be more sustainable by reusing items in different ways.
The competition, which will run until Sunday 25 June, has three categories:
– Best recycled/reused food waste container
– Best food waste reduction idea
– Best waste less, spend less idea
There will be an entry form for each of the categories, and young people are invited to submit photographs of their creations and further explanation of their ideas. They can enter one, two or all three categories.
The council offers food waste collections to every school in Hillingdon and is also providing interactive learning sessions and posters for classrooms to further promote the benefits of recycling.
The winning submission for each category will receive a sustainable baking kit and cookbook.
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “Recycling food waste is a small change to your household routine that can make a big difference in helping to protect the environment.
“Food waste that is included within your general waste produces methane, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more harmful than carbon dioxide, whereas by using our free, weekly, food waste recycling service it can be turned into green energy, such as biogas and fertiliser.
“I am delighted that so many households in Hillingdon are already signed up to this service, but we’d like to see even more residents recycling their food waste and helping us achieve our pledge to create a green, sustainable and carbon-neutral borough.
“I wish all the children good luck and can’t wait to see what they come up with!”
To enter the competition visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/food-waste-competition.
