Food production and consumption

The problem of wasting food, together with the chance to encourage sustainable food consumption, has been faced for years all around the world. With reference to statistics, every year a large amount of food is thrown into landfills, with drastic consequences for society and above all for the environment. In Kaunas, these aspects were treated in a stimulating and innovative way, thus preventing food from being wasted and trying to encourage people to go through a phase of cultural change which consists of adopting more sustainable eating habits.

Kauno Maisto Atiduotuvė

One of the most noteworthy initiatives is Kauno Maisto Atiduotuvė, a solidarity “food store” where people in need can pick up the products they want at no cost. Approximately 135 people visit it daily, choosing from a range of surplus food items supplied by local supermarkets and producers. This initiative fully represents what the circular economy is, i.e., a concept based on the idea of protecting not only food, thus avoiding waste, but also the dignity of the people who receive it. In the opinion of J. Janovičiūtė, the creator and founder of the project, “giving is easier than asking,” revealing that the basis of everything is common support and the need to raise awareness of the topic. In this way, a virtuous network forms, bringing together private individuals, companies, and local volunteers, merging social responsibility with environmental respect.

Food Production and Consumption

A crucial element of Kaunas’s approach is strong public engagement in separating food waste. Through awareness campaigns and the distribution of dedicated containers, citizens of Kaunas have begun actively reducing their garbage output. Volunteers play a key role both in food collection centres and in managing social media platforms that inform and educate residents.

At a national level, Lithuania has imposed the obligation to separate food waste from 1 January 2024. In Kaunas, specifically, the separate collection of organic and kitchen waste started before 2024, with dedicated bins and biodegradable bags. Furthermore, it is also worth noting that a method has been developed to extract biogas and compost from organic waste, which can positively change the economy and the well-being of the population and nature.

So, without a doubt, great strides are being made. The conception and implementation of projects, initiatives, and proposals such as Maisto Atiduotuvė go hand in hand with the growth of the sense of donation and recycling. Families and neighbourhood associations actively participate in domestic composting projects, further reducing the amount of waste headed to landfills.

Challenges and Ongoing Efforts

Alongside the good results, there are still some problems, such as, for example, the arrangement of waste bins in areas outside the city centre. Then, there are still too many people who do not respect the obligation to separate waste. Therefore, it is important to ‘educate’ all those who are still far from this vision, trying to motivate them as much as possible.

In the future, this innovation could spread beyond Kaunas, creating an international network based on sustainable food. This means that the city of Kaunas is tangible proof that adopting the circular economy and sustainable food consumption is possible. Starting from simple undifferentiated waste collection up to the Maisto Atiduotuvė initiative, the circular economy is therefore possible. This idea can only expand and spread, continuing to make improvements to the environment and society, with the final aim of establishing the culture of zero waste.