Research shows that up to 40% of the average kerbside garbage bin is food. A lot of this is avoidable food waste and most of it can be composted or put in worm farms. It's worth remembering that every bit of food that you throw out has cost money, so it makes sense to use as much of your food purchases as possible.

Research by the NSW Government shows that the average NSW household throws out $1,036 of food per annum. In looking at food waste around Australia, Do Something calculates that Australians throw out $7.8 billion of food every year. That's a huge waste of money!

When food rots in landfill, it gives off a greenhouse gas called methane. This methane is 25 times more potent a greenhouse gas than the carbon pollution that comes out of your car exhaust.

Using 'paddock to plate' calculations, WRAP in the UK estimate that one ton of food waste generates 3.8 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions. Using the same figures, food waste in Australia is responsible for an estimated 15.4 million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions every year.

Tens of millions of kilograms of safe edible fresh food and groceries are discarded every year. This is due to changed labelling regulations, end of season excess stock, production line changeover items, out-dated packaging, discontinued product, as well as slight label or weight inaccuracies.