Increasing food waste recycling in Inverness
Recycling food waste has a significant impact in reducing climate change as, when sent to landfill, food produces methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas.
Velocity Café & Bicycle Workshop is working with Highland Council to encourage the uptake of household food waste recycling in Inverness. Currently, around 60% of the food wasted in Inverness still goes to landfill, rather than getting recycled with the council's food waste recycling programme.
Velocity worked with the Highland Council on a door knocking campaign in October 2022 to encourage households to use their caddies or to get signed up to the service.
In August 2023, Velocity will target a specific area in Inverness in order to get a deeper understanding of the barriers that are currently preventing people from recycling their food waste, with a view to increasing uptake.
If you are interested in learning more about this work, you can contact the Project Officer Isabel McLeish: isabel@velocitylove.co.uk
Project leads
Food waste challenge for households (coming soon)
We are developing a campaign to help households buy, store and use food more wisely, helping them to save money, cut waste and reduce their carbon footprint too.
For now, you can find food waste reduction workshops on our events map, through the link below.
Project leads
Promoting community composting
Although learning to avoid wasting food in the first place is best (check out our food waste reduction workshops), composting any food or kitchen scraps that are going to waste is an important part of reducing emissions, as well as generating a useful resource: compost!
We're looking at ways to make composting more accessible in the Highlands, whether by providing people with the knowledge and tools to do it at home or by setting up community composting initiatives.
This section will be updated as work develops.
Project leads
Resources and downloads
The Spirit of the Soil by John Wombell: A Short History of Soil Fertility and Composting in Lochaber
Through the HCWP and funding from The National Lottery, Lochaber Environmental Group (LEG) have reissued the Spirit of the Soil in March 2023. The book, first commissioned by LEG in 2003, provides insights on food growing, composting and soil health within the unique environment of the Scottish Highlands.
It can be purchased directly from LEG or from a growing selection of stockists:
- Glenuig Community Shop, Glenuig, PH33 4NB
- Lairg & District Learning Centre, Schoolhouse, Lairg, IV27 4DD
- Land, Sea and Islands Centre, Arisaig, PH39 4NJ
- Lochaber Environmental Group, An Drochaid, Claggan, Fort William PH33 6PH
- Moidart History House, Glenuig, PH33 4NB
- Oakwood Tourism and Crafts, Oakwood Centre, Strontian, PH36 4HZ
- The Highland Bookshop, 60 High Street, Fort William, PH33 6AH
- The New Broom, 28 Argyle Street, Ullapool, IV26 2UB
- The Wildcat Cafe, 21 High Street, Fort William, PH33 6DH
- West Ardnamurchan Community Garden, Sonachan, Kilchoan, PH36 4NL
- West Coast Crafts & Gift Shop, Pier Road, Kilchoan, Acharachle, PH36 4LJ
To order a copy from LEG, or if you're interested in stocking the book, please contact: lesley@lochaberenviro.org.uk
Composting guide
Lochaber Environmental Group, Transition Black Isle and MOO Foods joined forces to create this composting guide.
Highland Community Composting Resource
This resource has been created for communities in the Highlands that are interested in starting or further developing community composting projects.
You will find a step-by-step Decision-Making Guide to help you get going or to develop your project, as well as links to help, information on legal requirements, and much more.
