RECUP’s mission is to reduce food waste. They do so by getting in touch with markets and supermarkets that would waste expiring food or not good-looking fruits and veggies. Volunteers of the organisation pickup those leftovers, transforming the leftovers (cook together, preserve) and share them with the local community and with those in need. These activities raise awareness and provide an educational perspective to the initiative.RECUP is a young organisation run by young people. Anyone can participate in the activities of RECUP as a volunteer. At the moment the organisation is active only in Rome and Milan, but is planning to create more connections in other Italian cities. Some tips for anyone willing to replicate RECUP actions:
Get direct contact with managers of supermarkets or stores. Start with small one, not with big chains, as chain supermarkets have more regulations and it’s harder to find a deal.
Find connection with some local organisation who are taking care of people in need: it is fundamental that the food recovered from the market get taken.
Find connection with people processing food locally: they can handle big quantities of food and give food a second life.
Get in touch with RECUP to have more info
Aside from the ongoing food pickups and sharing, RECUP started to implement workshops with young people on how to reuse food waste, such as a workshop to create painting colours from vegetables (cabbage, onion, beetroot…). RECUP is also cooperating with other local organisations on specific projects, like “parchi educanti”, a project that aims to preserve the green area of the cities and promote peer to peer learning activities.
Strengths
Reducing food waste
Sensitisation of environmental issues
It can be replicated on different levels, such as with local farmers, markets and supermarkets
