dotrun Projects
Kitchen Canny, a new community initiative that seeks to address the problem of food waste has been launched this autumn by Changeworks with the assistance of Designers on the Run. According to the Love Food Hate Waste campaign, Scottish householders throw out a staggering third of the food they purchase which amounts to on average £30 worth of food per year. In order to raise awareness of food waste prevention and the Love Food Hate Waste messages, Designers on the Run were appointed after a 3-way tender process to develop the identity and visual style of the project.
Anna Derricourt, Project Co-ordinator for Food Waste at Changeworks commented:
"Designers on the Run took the Kitchen Canny brief and created a look and feel that we are delighted with. We needed to create attractive kits that were fun and interesting, encouraging participation from all, not just the eco-conscious. We had some practical ideas without solutions which they were quick to solve with clever design. Feedback from public and partners has been great, and hundreds of households are already taking part."
Photographs courtesy of Helen Pugh Photography. © Helen Pugh Photography www.helenpughphotography.com
The design elements include a workbook with a four week action kit for participants, a food caddy for measuring food waste, a food scoop for measuring food portions, an accompanying website and a branded tea towel to encourage user feedback.
In keeping with the environmental integrity of the brief all design output has been printed using vegetable inks and recycled materials where possible, with an eco accredited printer.
The food caddy and food scoop also arrive flat packed to reduce carriage and maintain low carbon emissions. The tea towels which will be used as a gift incentive for respondents are fair trade and made in a carbon neutral factory.
The initiative has now rolled out in Linlithgow, Dunbar and Leith with a variety of community groups throughout Lothian and Borders participating over the past eighteen months. By the end of March 2011, 3000 people in South East Scotland will have reduced their food waste by an average of 53%.
Kitchen Canny makes a deep and lasting impression on participants with over 90% continuing with their new kitchen habits in the long term.
Kitchen Canny has recently won 'Best Community Sector Initiative' award at the recent Scottish Waste and Resources Awards 2010. Most recently it has been short-listed for a Global Green Award in December 2010 and the Community Resources Network Scotland have also nominated Kitchen Canny for an Innovation award in March 2011.
