How to Build a Zero Food Waste Vision Board

Imagine a world of zero waste. A world where everything produced has a clear purpose and is used to its fullest. In developed nations, we waste a shocking amount of… well… everything. And that waste is taking a huge toll on our one and only planet.

Now, we need to produce things in order to live and support the global economy. There are survival basics, of course, but then there are other commodities we rely on to get around, build comfortable homes, do our jobs, engage in hobbies and generally enjoy life. 

And that’s ok.

But somewhere along the way, we developed a terrible waste habit. And that’s not ok. 

Excess packaging, over-buying and, in terms of food waste, a preference for “pretty” foods and a habit of letting food spoil, have all contributed to this trend. Food waste is such a significant problem because when food is tossed out, everything that went into producing, processing and transporting that food is also wasted.

We need to start making a serious effort to buy what we need and eat what we buy.

If we can get enough FoodHeroes on board, we truly believe that together, we can start changing the world.

You might think that’s a crazy vision, but every movement starts with a vision.

At FoodHero, we’re taking steps towards our vision of reducing global food waste by 10% by 2020. We keep our vision top of mind at all times to ensure we are continuously moving in the right direction.

In your home or business, you can create your own vision of a better future to help you and your family or colleagues take continual steps towards eliminating food waste.

That said, it’s hard to move towards anything when you don’t have a clear picture of what that thing is. A vision board can be extremely helpful in reaching just about any goal. 

Here’s how they help...

• Creates a clear picture of what you want to achieve

• Keeps your big picture vision top of mind

• Motivates you to take regular steps towards your goal

Are you ready to create a zero waste vision board? Here are 3 tips for getting started...

Go online or go waste free!

First and foremost, your vision board itself should not be contributing to our global waste habit. Make a waste-free board!Please don’t go out and buy materials to create a physical board. If you want to create a physical vision board (it is handy to have it always in your sight), consider a chalkboard, or use a corkboard, but only pin images from materials that would have gone in the trash or recycling bin anyway.

Visualize an end result that resonates with you

For some people, images of well-organized refrigerators and pantries are highly motivating (remember that when food is properly organized, you can see and access everything easily, and it gets used up before it spoils).For others, it may be images of all the money saved, or what you’ll use the money for once you’ve saved up. Some people may be driven by beautiful images of nature or the planet. And some may be motivated by images of their children or grandchildren - the people who will one day inherit what we leave behind.What motivates you? What’s your reason for wanting to reduce food waste? Find or create images that really resonate with you and remind you why you’re doing this.

Put it somewhere you’ll see every day

A vision board is most effective when you spend a little time with it every day. It’s keeping that vision top of mind that keeps you motivated to take continual steps towards your goal.

• If you create a physical board, keep it somewhere that you and your family or colleagues will see it every day.
• If you create an online board, save an image of it to use as your desktop background, or as the background on your phone.
• At least once a day, spend a moment looking at your board, visualizing the future you will create, and thinking about the steps you’ll take that day.

It took a long time for us to develop our wasteful habits. It’s going to take time to break those habits and develop better ones. Like anything else, the key is to take it one step at a time.