<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Food wastage is a complex global issue. Its solution requires a multi-pronged effort and the use of diversified strategies. Since the impacts are on an environmental, social and economic level, solutions can take shape in one of these areas, knowing that there are often trade-offs between one and the other. This paper aims to evaluate the net environmental effects in terms of Carbon footprint of the activities of the Lithuanian Food Bank (<italic>Maisto Bankas</italic>). Food banks are charities that work to reduce the negative social effects associated with food waste and food insecurity. They work on the food recovery, avoiding the transformation of food surplus in food waste. The present paper assessed the positive impact generated by the Lithuanian Food Bank thanks to its activities as the non-impact of recovered food and the non-disposal of food in landfills. At the same time, also the negative impact in term of emission due to the management of all its activities has been estimated. The net impact has been derived by the comparison of the two flows. The results of the study proved that, behind the social benefit, the Food Banks, as <italic>Maisto Bankas</italic>, produce also a net positive environmental impact.</p>
</abstract>

Food wastage is a complex global issue. Its solution requires a multi-pronged effort and the use of diversified strategies. Since the impacts are on an environmental, social and economic level, solutions can take shape in one of these areas, knowing that there are often trade-offs between one and the other. This paper aims to evaluate the net environmental effects in terms of Carbon footprint of the activities of the Lithuanian Food Bank (Maisto Bankas). Food banks are charities that work to reduce the negative social effects associated with food waste and food insecurity. They work on the food recovery, avoiding the transformation of food surplus in food waste. The present paper assessed the positive impact generated by the Lithuanian Food Bank thanks to its activities as the non-impact of recovered food and the non-disposal of food in landfills. At the same time, also the negative impact in term of emission due to the management of all its activities has been estimated. The net impact has been derived by the comparison of the two flows. The results of the study proved that, behind the social benefit, the Food Banks, as Maisto Bankas, produce also a net positive environmental impact.

Avoiding Food Wastage: The Net Impact of <italic>Maisto Bankas</italic> Activities. A Carbon Footprint Approach

Environmental and Climate Technologies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Avoiding Food Wastage: The Net Impact of  Activities. A Carbon Footprint Approach

Food wastage is a complex global issue. Its solution requires a multi-pronged effort and the use of diversified strategies. Since the impacts are on an...

Avoiding Food Wastage: The Net Impact of Maisto Bankas Activities. A Carbon Footprint Approach

Published Online: May 16, 2022

Page range: 240 - 255

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2022-0019

Keywords
Carbon footprint, climate change, food wastage, net impact

© 2022 Giuditta Meloni et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Avoiding Food Wastage: The Net Impact of Maisto Bankas Activities. A Carbon Footprint Approach

Published Online: May 16, 2022

Page range: 240 - 255

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2022-0019

KeywordsCarbon footprint, climate change, food wastage, net impact

© 2022 Giuditta Meloni et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Carbon footprint, climate change, food wastage, net impact