• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Lambs Ears and Honey | A Food & Travel Blog
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
  • Cookbooks
  • Cookbook Club
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Me – Lambs Ears and Honey
  • Work With Me
×
Home » Food » OzHarvest launches in Adelaide

OzHarvest launches in Adelaide

23/05/2011 by Amanda

Share

Share
Pin

As ever, there are many problems facing the international community at any given time, but two major issues of global concern are directly related to the continued growth of world population.  The current global population is estimated to be in the vicinity of  7 billion people, with a projected figure expected to be around 12 billion by 2054 and the difficulties of feeding this many people is a problem being wrestled with, with increasing urgency.  At the same time, we are experiencing accelerated global warming, contributed to in no small measure by the increasing amounts of greenhouse gasses given off by landfill around the world.

Enter, Ronnie Kahn.

Conscious of food wastage generally and with a background in the hospitality industry Ronnie was uncomfortably aware of how much food is wasted daily in that particular area.  In fact, a recent study by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization  estimated global food loss and wastage at 1.3 billion tonnes a year.  In Western societies, much of this is thrown away as waste and ends up in landfill.  Australians waste up to 3 million tonnes of food per annum worth up to $5.2 billion a year and, in 2004, Ronnie founded OzHarvest in Sydney with the aim of redistributing some of this food to charities supporting the vulnerable.

Since that time her organisation has grown, thanks to the support of  the food donors, volunteers and recipient agencies and has branches in Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle and, now, Adelaide.  South Australia is responsible for  240,000 tonnes of the food wasted in Australia and, since they began their work here in January 2011, OzHarvest has rescued 40,000 meals, providing them to South Australians who would have otherwise have gone hungry.  For each kilo of food rescued, SA avoids two kilos of greenhouse gas emissions and 143 litres of water consumption – an important consideration in a water-poor state.  According to South Australian PhD candidate, Christian Reynolds whose work centres around the environmental and economic costs of domestic food wastage, in just three months of operation OzHarvest has avoided eight tonnes of  carbon dioxide emissions.

Facilitated by UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide, OzHarvest is currently running just one truck, picking up food donations from 34 donors and distributing to 24 charities, but expects to add a second truck to it’s fleet in the coming months.  As the collection rate increases, it is expected that OzHarvest will be responsible for preventing the release of over 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in this year alone.

The all-singing, all-dancing launch of Adelaide’s OzHarvest was presented by two of OzHarvest SA’s ambassadors, Keith Conlon and Maggie Beer, with singing performances by the Nazareth College Choir, soprano Debra Caddy and an amazing array of desserts donated by Assagio Restaurant.  OzHarvest enjoys the support of organisations like the Australian Hotels Association, the Intercontinental Group and Zero Waste SA and the list of sponsors, donor organisations and supporters continues to grow.  Tackling two such major, global problems with this one simple solution is inspired, and richly deserves all the support we can give it to continue it’s growth.  If you are, or know of, any hospitality business who would be interested in getting in on this extraordinary initiative then check out the OzHarvest Adelaide website or contact their Adelaide office on (08) 8440 2111.

 

 

Photographs and press release information supplied by Communikate.

[mc4wp_form id="16750"]

Related posts

  • Leave Single-Use Plastics Behind – With the Help of the Fleurieu Milk CompanyLeave Single-Use Plastics Behind – With the Help of the Fleurieu Milk Company
  • Why Food Diversity Matters – Check out Food Diversity Day Why Food Diversity Matters – Check out Food Diversity Day
  • Native Australian Flavours – Edible Reconciliation on Everyone’s Plate Native Australian Flavours – Edible Reconciliation on Everyone’s Plate
  • Australian Garlic from Kangaroo Island – The Story of Three Amigos Australian Garlic from Kangaroo Island – The Story of Three Amigos
  • Wheat Flour and Sourdough Bread – Where Did the Flour in Your Bread Come From? Wheat Flour and Sourdough Bread – Where Did the Flour in Your Bread Come From?

Share

Share
Pin
« What’s in the box – 18/19 May
What’s in the box – 25/26 May »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

    May 23, 2011 at 3:51 pm

    The day that I went out with them in one of their trucks was one of the most interesting days ever!

  2. Sarah @ For the Love of Food

    May 24, 2011 at 12:15 am

    What an incredibly simple but obviously much needed idea that all food businesses could and should get behind!

  3. Mandy - The Complete Cook Book

    May 24, 2011 at 1:57 pm

    What a brilliant idea!
    🙂 Mandy

  4. Forager @ The Gourmet Forager

    May 24, 2011 at 5:20 pm

    Such a great concept and one that’s sorely needed! We’re such a wasteful bunch!

  5. cityhippyfarmgirl

    May 25, 2011 at 12:00 pm

    Everything I have heard about this organisation sounds great. I hope it grows even further and that one truck turning into two turns into a fleet.

  6. Cakelaw

    May 25, 2011 at 4:55 pm

    This is a terrific program – makes me wish I’d thought of suchca brilliant and worthwhile program.

  7. Blair James

    May 27, 2011 at 5:16 am

    This is phenomenal. It’s always inspiring to know that such organization exists and has the passion to do all these great stuff they have been doing. I hope to see them on the road one day and be part of it in my own little contribution.

    Thanks for sharing!

  8. Jenn Brigole

    May 27, 2011 at 6:10 am

    Brilliant idea. I hope people will find it their responsibility to support environmental causes, such as this. Kudos!

  9. celia

    May 28, 2011 at 5:03 pm

    Such a great organisation! Soooo much food goes to waste – it’s wonderful that someone is doing something about it!

Trackbacks

  1. Food Security – How OzHarvest Makes an Impact says:
    22/10/2012 at 3:59 pm

    […] in May last year I introduced you all to OzHarvest, the brilliant non-denominational charity which rescues excess food that would […]

  2. OzHarvest CookUp 500 says:
    24/02/2017 at 12:47 am

    […] in South Australia.  I’ve been sharing the love for OzHarvest since it’s launch in Adelaide in 2011 and at various events and milestones since […]

Primary Sidebar

Don't run the risk of missing a post! Subscribe to Lamb's Ears and Honey

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Connect with me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Recent Posts

Sweet Tooth Central – “Sweet Enough” from Alison Roman for November in Lambs’ Ears Cookbook club

join the cookbook club

Join the Cookbook Club in October – And Get the Cookbook Free!

leave single-use plastic behind

Leave Single-Use Plastics Behind – With the Help of the Fleurieu Milk Company

join the cookbook club

Food from Iran to Italy in September – And a FREE Gift For All Members in October!

COMMENTS, FEEDBACK, QUESTIONS?

I love to hear what you think so please leave a comment or ask me a question!

Search This Website

Archives

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Footer

Featured Recipes

Featured Posts

COPYRIGHT © 2023 LAMBS' EARS AND HONEY