Projects

Zero Waste Volunteer Programme

 In August 2010, Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) extended the scope of the Master composter programme and it became the Zero Waste Volunteer Programme, now covering not only home composting and other waste prevention campaigns, including “Love Food Hate Waste” and “Stop the Drop” and encouraging 'Peat-free' gardening. This Programme aims to encourage householders to take responsibility for the waste that they produce and to give them the support that they need through a network of locally based volunteers. There are a number of voluntary organisations across Scotland delivering the Programme and networking events are held by ZWS for the co-ordinators (known as the Zero Waste Partnership).

ROWAN has recently secured further funding from Zero Waste Scotland to work with volunteers more extensively around the Highlands to encourage people to cut food waste, compost, use peat free compost and stop unwanted mail. We are very keen to recruit more volunteers who can deliver these messages.

Community and School Food Waste Reduction Project, 'Eat it'

RoWAN now is working intensively with 8 local schools and their communities - Strathgarve, Strathconon, Marybank, Strathpeffer, Beauly, Teanassie, Kiltarlity, Kirkhill to cut carbon emissions. The Eat it! project is a one year Climate Challenge funded project aimed at encouraging parents and extended families of these schools to cut food waste, compost, grow more and try to reduce food miles.  The project will raise awareness of the environmental issues around food, including the carbon emissions created by its production, storage, transportation and disposal.

The project offers a great opportunity for households to also start cutting the £550 annual cost of food waste for the average Scottish family household. To kick start the project, parents and extended families of the 8 schools who are currently not composting can get a heavily subsidised compost bin for just £5. The `pledge and collect` scheme enables households to collect their bins directly from their school by pledging to undertake activities associated with food waste reduction that will reduce their carbon emissions. The 8 schools will benefit directly from the sale of bins and also by gaining incentive points for every completed survey and pledging form received from households pledging to reduce food waste and their cut carbon emissions. The Eat it` incentive fund will help support enrichment activities in the schools related to the project.

A significant part of the project is aimed at reducing food waste in schools which accounts for approximately 47% of all school waste. A food waste audit will be undertaken in each of the 8 schools and recommendations made to reduce kitchen, canteen and packed lunch waste.

The RoWAN team will be out and about throughout May to launch the project at schools and local community venues. There will also be a full programme of food waste reduction, composting, cooking and growing in the schools and community over the coming year.