National day against food waste: 5 useful tips to never waste wine 

The theme of food waste has been deeply felt in recent years: the disparity between poor and rich countries has created a discrepancy between lack of food and far-fetched waste that is alarming more and more people around the world. Therefore, it is crucial to address this issue in order to solve this very worrying situation. 

In Italy, the designated date is the 5th of February. The 10th National Food Waste Prevention Day is projected towards the ever closer goal of the sustainability goals set by the United Nations Agenda. It will therefore be a tenth edition focused on the prevention of food waste at various levels – from the domestic one, which affects over 50% of the national and international waste chain – to losses in the field, to food dispersion in the steps preceding the purchase, the management and consumption of food in homes.

It has been the occasion for the presentation of the new report of the Waste Watcher International Observatory with the data of the 2023 “Caso ITalia”, a survey in synergy with the University of Bologna and IPSOS, dedicated as always to waste diet and habits of use and management of food.

Last year’s report highlighted the following critical issues: On average, Italians throw away about 595.3 grams of food per week, or 30.956 kg per year. The top 5 most wasted foods remained almost unchanged from the previous year. In first position we find fresh fruit (25.5 grams), followed by salads (21.4 grams), fresh bread (20.0 grams), vegetables (19.5 grams) and onions, garlic, tubers (18.7 grams).

Who wastes the most food in Italy? The data of the Report are accentuated in the South (+18% of waste compared to the national average), in families without children (+12%), in the middle-lower classes (+12%), in the popular classes (+7%) and in medium-sized municipalities (+8%). But it’s not just only about food, also about drinks!

Here at Carpineto we are very careful about setting the waste to zero: there are several procedures put in place in order to contribute to the fight against waste and they pass through 5 particular moments. Rainwater from the cellar and sheds is recovered and sent to the pond. The pomace is dispersed in the vineyard and the small branches of the prunings are buried directly in the vineyard. In addition, the large branches of the prunings are chipped and placed in a point of collection where we carry out the composting. At this collection point we also put the stems of the harvest, and everything that is “Green” (derivatives pruning of plants or flowers, cut grass, etc.). 

When this compost is ready it is then dispersed in the vineyard as a fertilizer. The wastewater currently passes through 3 tanks of constructed wetlands filled with gravel of different sizes above which they are reed plants have been planted, the roots of which cleanse the waters. We are in the planning stage to be able to collect these waters in an artificial pond from which to draw for irrigation.

To tackle this issue everybody needs to put a lot of effort, and every year we are working hard to improve our strategies. In Italy alone, the food that ends up in the trash is worth 12 billion euros and 50% of waste is recorded within the walls of the house. These numbers make you think, especially if you consider that there are still millions of people who have difficulty accessing food and drinking water. The resources of our planet must be protected as a precious asset and always respected.