Unsold food: volunteers in Milan are recovering it, store by store.

And then they donate it to families in need. A project born in the world of volunteering.

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France's anti-waste law requires supermarkets to donate unsold food that is about to expire.

RECOVERY OF UNSOLD FOOD

The idea came from a father and son, together. The father, Francesco Aurisicchio , is the manager of the Fare Non Profit project at the Volunteer Services Center (CSV) in Milan, and his son Leonardo is a scout. Both are outraged by the enormous amount of food wasted in Italy's richest city , where 11 families struggle to make ends meet. And they need food first and foremost, morning and night.

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THE CAMPAIGN GHE N'É MINGA DE RUERA

Thus began in Milan , a campaign that creates a synergy, a network, this time under the umbrella of a highly active public administration allied with the world of volunteers (which in Milan involves 140 people). The title is in Milanese dialect, Ghe n'è minga de ruera , which means There's no rubbish . The essence is a widespread effort , neighborhood by neighborhood, to encourage participating merchants (bakers, pastry chefs, milkmen, trattorias, restaurants, small shops in the area) to donate unsold food at the end of the day . This food, through the work of volunteers who collect it, will then go to families in need.

UNSOLD FOOD RECOVERY MILAN

There are two important innovations in this project, entirely inspired by the "Do Not Waste" philosophy. The first is the direct and active involvement of the municipality , which does not delegate everything, as often happens, to the volunteer network, but retains a leadership role. The second, and this truly sets a significant precedent, is the fact that the network is seeking to penetrate the world of small shops, individual neighborhoods, and local outlets, and not just large-scale retail outlets . In this way, the fight against food waste becomes widespread, involving all residents in the area. A good model, which other cities, all Italian cities, could take up and copy from Milan.

HOW TO AVOID FOOD WASTE AT HOME :

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