Mörbylånga municipality begins collaboration with Generation Waste.
Mörbylånga municipality in southern Öland is a special part of Sweden. With its history and peculiar nature, it is unlike anything else. The sea, the open landscape and a fantastic light attract more and more people to move there and close to a million tourists visit Öland every year. The unique landscape means that southern Öland is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Mörbylånga Municipality begins collaboration with Generation Waste to reduce food waste and thrive for sustainability.
In 2021, Mörbylånga municipality became the growth municipality of the year in the county. The municipality has everything from small cafés open in the summer, schools, grocery stores and businesses with industrial manufacturing. The municipality's environmental and health protection work aims to preserve and improve the living environment and health protection for people and animals.
Mörbylånga Municipality collaboration with Generation Waste
After measuring waste in different ways for several years, we felt that we wanted it to be more structured, that all kitchens should do it in the same way and that the results could be compared with other municipalities. That we should get better continuity with measuring and that pedagogues and children should become more involved in our work, says Ulrica, who is head of catering in Mörbylånga Municipality.
Advantages of Generation Waste - digital system in Mörbylånga Municipality
Now the numbers are entered into a system directly. Then the office does not have to sit with handwritten lists and notes after each measurement. It becomes easier when politics or a manager requests results, then this can be picked out continuously during the year
The importance of sustainability work in Mörbylånga municipality's public kitchen
When Ulrica is asked why it is important to work sustainably in the public meal and what future goals the municipality has in its sustainability work, she answers - our Dietary Unit works very thoroughly to constantly develop our environmental thinking, it does not always progress as quickly as you think wish, but it is important that all kitchens and chefs are on the "train". Our goal is to produce good food that appeals to children, while the production should affect the environment as little as possible.
The key to good sustainability work
Get cooks, children and educators in mind, it doesn't help that we prepare healthy and seasonal food if the children don't eat what they take in. Those who eat educationally are an important role model, says Ulrica.
When Ulrica is asked how Mörbylånga municipality trains its staff on how to reduce food waste and the consequences and cost of food waste, she answers:
The nutrition unit's staff has ongoing training in these issues, while they would have liked the schools and preschools to have set aside a little more time to work on these issues. The educators are important for the information and knowledge to be passed on to the children, the meals themselves are good opportunities for conversations about the environment and health.