Giant bread pyramid to be built at Canterbury University to raise awareness of food waste
The extent of food waste in New Zealand will be depicted by a giant bread pyramid, erected at the University of Canterbury on Wednesday 18 October.
Engineering students will construct a pyramid out of 2,283 loaves of bread to highlight the amount of bread that is thrown away every hour by households in New Zealand. To make the challenge more intense, the 2.5 x 2.5 metre pyramid will be built live on Breakfast TV.
The feat is being used by the Love Food Hate Waste campaign and Christchurch City Council to raise awareness of the issue of food waste in New Zealand. 122,547 tonnes of edible food is thrown away every year by Kiwi households.
“Bread is the most wasted food item in New Zealand and the bread pyramid is a great way to show people the scale of the problem,” said Love Food Hate Waste spokesperson Jenny Marshall.
“Wasting 20 million loaves is almost too big to comprehend but physically seeing how much we waste per hour really brings it home. Many people aren’t aware of how much a few stale or mouldy slices, or crusts, can add up to. Yet crusts and bread ends make up 40% of a loaf of bread so if your children won’t eat their crusts you can be throwing out 22 loaves worth of bread every year without even realising it.”
The bread, which has been donated by Countdown, will be distributed following the completion of the pyramid to ensure none goes to waste. It will be given to university students, pupils at local low decile primary schools and will be available for members of the public to take from the New Brighton Community Fridge (46 Hawke St) from 3:30pm.
Wednesday 18th October
The Undercroft, Puaka James Hight Building, University of Canterbury
- 6 am – 8:30 am: construction of the bread pyramid live on Breakfast TV (channel one). Learn how to make a meal in a mug and chat to Jax Hamilton about her favourite way to use bread.
- 8:30 am – 12 pm: pyramid to remain complete
- From 12 pm: deconstruction of the pyramid, bread delivered to local primary schools for distribution to students
- 3:30 pm-4:40 pm: Bread is given away to public at New Brighton Community Fridge, 46 Hawke St. Any leftover bread will remain at the Community Fridge which is open until 7pm, and then from 7am the following morning.
