Skibbereen Tidy Towns

Today, we are delighted to share that our contribution to the campaign, Skibbereen taking on Food Waste, has been acknowledged in the publication of an important new research report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), FoodPath – Investigating Behavioural Interventions to Reduce Food Waste in Irish Households. Our work in Skibbereen with key partners Cycle Sense, students from Abbeystrewry N.S., St. Patrick’s B.N.S., Gaelscoil Dr Uí Shuilleabháin and Skibbereen Community School, has helped make a significant step forward in tackling food waste in Ireland using behavioural change approaches in households and communities.

13 January 2022: how it started…

Graphical representation of the community-led plan developed for Skibbereen taking on Food
Waste.

12 December 2024: how it’s going…

The findings from the FoodPath project provide a roadmap for policy-makers, waste management companies, and community leaders aiming to mitigate the environmental, social, and economic impacts of food waste.

In the intervening period, the Skibbereen campaign involved a variety of projects and public awareness events. As we browse through our archives we marvel at the creations of the primary school students for two issues of a seasonal recipe booklet, and remind ourselves that National Leftovers Day on 26 December is only around the corner, a timely reminder to share our seasonal tips in another post so watch this space.

Today however, Skibbereen has cause to celebrate its contribution to this report and we encourage readers to click through to the press release and indeed the report itself (see further reading below). For now we leave you with an extract:

The research included two interventions to noticeably reduce food waste: 

Intervention A: A household-focused approach, empowering individuals through tools, nudges, and targeted messaging delivered via local waste collectors, achieved a 16% reduction in food waste between pre and post-intervention periods.

Intervention B: A community-based approach, involving local groups like Skibbereen Tidy Towns and Clean Ireland, sought to shift social norms through engagement and training. While its quantitative results were mixed, it provided valuable insights into the potential of community-driven initiatives.

For further reading:

Press release: FoodPath project recommends behaviour change strategies to reduce household food waste

Report: FoodPath – Investigating Behavioural Interventions to Reduce Food Waste in Irish Households