Brisbane’s been thrown a six week challenge. Reduce the amount of food we waste, help the environment and save money.

Missy Drage reports.

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Each year, every household throws away around $4000 of unused purchases.

Adrian Schrinner, Deputy Mayor: “Around one-quarter of the waste going into our red-top bins is food waste, and that can really be reduced. All of that ends up in landfill; it’s generating landfill and greenhouse gas and it’s costing ratepayers money.”

Council is funding the “Love Food, Hate Waste” campaign.

It offers different tasks every week to show residents how to recycle and reuse.

The Frizzel family found it confronting at first.

Sam Frizzel, Resident: “Week one we had to do an audit on exactly what we do throw away.”

Week two, using what’s already in the pantry, has been surprising.

Sam Frizzel, Resident: “Finding all the tins and things we found up the back and look at what we have in our freezers.”

Council also offers free or low-cost workshops for composting, herb gardens, and cooking.

The six-week challenge is a great opportunity to find out how everyday household decisions can have a huge impact on sustainability and your wallets.

Sam Frizzel, Resident: “We’ve really started to think differently about how we shop.”

Details of the challenge and other tips and tools are on the Council website.

Missy Drage, QUT News.