We all know “that guy” (or girl). The one that is so passionate about a particular cause that they talk about it endlessly, often with a certain tone that makes you think their true passion is either the sound of their own voice or just “being right”.
Here’s the thing: Food waste is a problem that truly does impact all of us because it impacts the planet we all live on. Yet, many people don’t know much about it or give it much thought. That’s why talking to others and educating them about the full impact of food waste is so important.
Making changes in your own habits is great. But that is just a drop in a very large bucket. The more people we can get on board, making small changes in their daily habits, the more drops we have. Eventually, we’ve got a faucet running at full force! Which would be kinda wasteful… ok, we’ve taken that metaphor as far as it can go. But you get it, right?
The more heroes, the bigger the impact!
So… how do you go about educating others, raising awareness and getting them to make changes, without being “that guy”?
Be the person to start that trend.
Here are some ideas:
Each Wednesday (or one Wednesday per month), coworkers bring edible food items from home that they do not want, or that need to be used up soon, for other coworkers to take home with them.
Have a year-round donation box for coworkers to donate non-perishable food items they do not want.
Keep an “eat me” basket in the fridge for coworkers to share any food items that need to be eaten soon such as yogurt, cut fruit, baked goods, cheese or even yummy leftovers from home (who knows, maybe Carl from Accounting makes the world’s best lasagna, but always makes too much!)
Humans are weird. Wonderful, but weird. Many people avoid asking for things until someone else asks first. Be the first, others will (hopefully) follow.
For example:
Share tips, ideas and articles on Facebook, Twitter or other social network accounts, but don’t clutter everyone’s feed. Keep it to no more than once a day.
Remember that your family also does not want to listen to “that guy”. Instead of nagging your family, try practical ways to help change their habits:
Remember, often the best way to educate others is to lead by example. Don’t be afraid to stand out, especially if you’re standing out for something heroic like saving the planet. But do be conscious of not becoming “that guy”, no matter how passionate you are about making the world a better place for everyone.
Thank you for your interest in FoodHero and in the food waste cause.
We’re not quite ready to help you save money on perfectly fresh surplus food.
We’ll let you know as soon as we’re launching!