
The RDNO ReTHINK Waste Grant Program returned this year.
The Regional District of North Okanagan board of directors recently approved funding for the program for 2025. Funding was also provided for the Better Table Solutions and FoodMesh projects.
ReTHINK supports innovative projects that reduce waste in the region with priority given to waste-reduction projects that focus on the first two Rs — reduce and reuse. Two applications have been selected to receive funding.
The Better Table Solutions project involves a comprehensive program designed to enhance food efficiency and minimize food waste for restaurants within the RDNO by combining online training and informative food efficiency audits.
The goal is to empower commercial kitchens with the knowledge and resources needed to reduce waste, optimize food handling practices and accurately assess the environmental impact of their operations, particularly concerning food efficiency and carbon footprint. Funding has been approved in the amount of $22,000.
Funding to FoodMesh will build on previous development work of the North Okanagan Food Recovery Network that brings together businesses, charities and farmers.
Quality surplus food can support charitable organizations like food banks, and leftover food that is no longer suitable for consumption can go to farmers for animal feed.
FoodMesh started the North Okanagan Food Recovery Network in April 2023 and to date more than 371,600 kilograms of food has been diverted from disposal, which is equivalent to providing more than 462,700 meals and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 957 tonnes. Funding has been approved in the amount of $20,500.
“Avoidable food waste - food that could be eaten by people - is one of the most frequently found materials ending up in landfills,” stated Darren Murray, RDNO environmental co-ordinator. “When food is wasted, all the resources that go into bringing that food to our plates, such as cleared land, fuel, electricity, fertilizer, and water, are wasted. These grant projects have great potential to help conserve landfill space and address other urgent issues related to food waste, including climate change and affordability.”
For tips on reducing waste, click here.
The intake for 2026 projects will reopen in the fall.