Bags instead of bins: Münsterland takes action against food waste
Snacks, pastries, sandwiches - after public events such as receptions or network meetings, much of it ends up as waste. This is now set to change with the Münsterland bag under the motto "We're not throwing anything away!" and a guide to event planning. The idea was developed by the network of the Initiative Münsterland ist Klimaland of Münsterland e.V. Together with Landwirt schafft Leben GmbH, it has now presented the Münsterland bag to jointly set an example against food waste.
"The Münsterland bag is as simple as it is effective: the guests decide and can easily take leftover food from the catering home with them," says Andreas Grotendorst, board member of Münsterland e.V. For years, the Federal Environment Agency has been reporting food waste of around eleven million tonnes in Germany. Grotendorst adds: "Events organised by the public sector and its partners have a role model function. Planning targeted catering and offering a take-away option for potential leftovers is a win-win situation. This is where the Münsterland bag comes into play: With it, we are providing an impetus to throw away less."
The 50,000 bags are financed by the "Agriculture - Everyone likes it!" campaign, which is supported by Landwirt schafft Leben GmbH. Its Managing Director Hans-Heinrich Berghorn: "With the Münsterland bag, we want to raise awareness of the value of food. The production of our local food requires a lot of labour and care - in the fields and pastures as well as in the stables. What ends up on our plates has usually been cared for, bred or reared for months by our farmers. Issuing the bag is an expression of respect for the food itself, but also for the work of those who produced it."
The iSuN - Institute for Sustainable Nutrition at Münster University of Applied Sciences - provided support for the guide. Managing Director Silke Friedrich emphasises: "Events offer great potential for using resources responsibly and avoiding food waste. The bag is only the last step. It is even better to plan catering for meetings and conferences well from the outset. This begins with the selection of a climate-friendly menu, continues with a targeted enquiry about guests' expectations and ends with planning the quantities offered."
In a first round of distribution, the Münsterland municipalities, business development agencies, chambers and associations such as the Westphalian-Lippe Agricultural Association (WLV), the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (LWL) and other network partners will each receive a number of bags - with the request to use them at network meetings, committee meetings and similar events with catering. In addition to the bag, a practical guide to avoiding food waste for catering at events is available at www.muensterland.com/nachhaltiges-catering.
More about "Münsterland is climate country"
The Münsterland bag is part of the "Münsterland ist Klimaland" initiative, which is an association of districts and municipalities in Münsterland and has been coordinated by Münsterland e.V. since 2016. The Münsterland districts of Borken, Coesfeld, Steinfurt and Warendorf and the city of Münster have been involved since the start. Another strong partner is the state organisation for energy and climate protection, NRW.Energy4Climate, which is also represented in Münsterland with two NRW.climate networks. The campaign of the same name, initiated by the state organisation, has been in existence since 2021, under the patronage of District President Andreas Bothe, and 65 municipalities from the Münsterland region have officially signed up to it. The "Münsterland ist Klimaland" initiative is a joint commitment to greater climate protection in the region. It supports local authorities in sensitising citizens and encouraging them to act sustainably with the help of a campaign, communication materials and events.
