According to research conducted by the Institute of Environmental Protection in 2020, the scale of food waste in Poland is enormous, amounting to nearly 5 million kilograms per year (the research was carried out as part of the PROM project – Promotion of Rationalization and Reduction of Food Waste, in which we were the leader). Although food waste occurs at every stage (from production to consumption), according to the Institute’s research, consumers are responsible for 60% of the waste. A 2020 gumtree.pl study titled “Second Life of Things” showed that only half of the people living in Poland understand the concept of zero waste, and only 29% incorporate it into their lives.

In response to these issues, we promoted the idea of reducing food waste and zero waste in five diverse (geographically, historically, and in terms of size) locations in Poland – Warsaw, Olsztyn, Kielce, Piła, and Ciechanów. In each location, an initiative group was formed, consisting of 5-10 individuals representing various sectors. In selected places, we recruited non-governmental organizations, local zero waste activists, and representatives of businesses and local governments who expressed interest in the project. We conducted webinars for them on the principles of zero waste, with a special focus on reducing food waste. We organized training on facilitation methods, which showed participants the issue from a comprehensive perspective, considering different viewpoints and preparing them to work with the local community. Subsequently, the groups facilitated meetings with the local community, discussing the issue of wasting resources, including food, and diagnosing barriers to combat it. Based on these consultations, group members planned and implemented social campaigns on reducing waste in their localities. Using this information, we developed two e-books describing actions related to the zero-waste principle carried out by local communities. We also held two online conferences on reducing food waste.

Thanks to these activities, we have collectively and from the grassroots level developed recommendations for the involved cities, the implementation of which is monitored by trained groups. Some of these groups continue to work in their cities on the topic of zero waste. We also observed increased interest from local governments in this topic and the best practices gathered by us.