Today schools around the UK are celebrating Biology Week 2013 with assemblies about food waste, starting with an animated video produced for the event. UK households throw away 20% of the food they buy, and pupils will consider how we can reduce this huge wastage.

The animation was produced by the Society of Biology in partnership with Global Food Security, and is accompanied by notes about why we waste food and how we can reduce this.

Food waste has been a theme of Biology Week 2013, and Professor Tim Benton, Global Food Security champion, spoke about the issue in Parliament at an evening reception on the Wednesday 16th October, organised by the Society of Biology in partnership with the BBSRC.

Dr Mark Downs, chief executive of the Society of Biology, says: “The volume of food we waste is staggering; collectively, households annually throw away 4.1 million tonnes of waste that could be avoided if people knew how to manage waste better. Young people are vital in tackling the problem, as consumers, and as the scientists, farmers, retailers and policy makers of tomorrow.

“We started Biology Week as a celebration of the life sciences, and biology's contribution to reducing food waste - whether this is preventing loss of crops to pest and disease, or ensuring food stays safe for longer - is certainly something to celebrate.”

Alongside the food waste classroom resources, the Society of Biology has produced resources for secondary schools to tie in with biology and geography curriculums. These remain free for teachers to use and adapt.