On 5 February, Italy celebrates the Day for the Prevention of Food Waste, established in 2013 by the Ministry of the Environment to prevent food waste and raise awareness of the sustainable use of resources. Also in Italy, initiatives from associations and companies aimed at putting an end to food waste are growing ever more numerous.

Even before food reaches our homes, up to 50 per cent of what is produced is lost along the food supply chain. Every year, consumers spend 316 euros purchasing food that never gets eaten.

Food waste is enormous, and it all comes at the environment's expense

The FAO report Food wastage foot print. Impacts on natural resources estimates the carbon footprint of unconsumed food at 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2. This food waste alarm is raised by WWF during the year of the Paris Climate Conference, with the aim of calling on world leaders to commit to reducing CO2 emissions caused by the production of uneaten food.

In an overpopulated and hungry world, generating waste is not sustainable. The availability of food resources, already reduced by the consequences of climate change, is limited by a shortage of fertile soil and fresh water for irrigation, itself the result of violent and irresponsible agricultural practices. Against a backdrop of rising pollution, the loss of land, water and biodiversity carries enormous costs for the global economy, estimated at 750 billion dollars, equivalent to the GDP of Switzerland.

For this reason, there are numerous awareness campaigns against food waste. One example is WWF's One Planet Food programme which, under the aegis of UNEP-FAO, will take part in Expo 2015 with a commitment to spreading awareness of sustainable food practices for the planet. Alongside WWF, the Auchan and Simply retail chains have long been engaged in selling loose products and in recovering items close to their expiry date, teaching customers not to waste with 10 charming illustrated strips.

Each of us can fight food waste in the kitchen with the recipe book "Buttali in pentola", produced by Auchan and WWF, purchase eco-friendly anti-waste containers from Ikea, and stop at the Villoresi Est, Brianza Nord and Brianza Sud motorway service stations, where organic waste is turned into compost. All of this to limit the damage inflicted on our planet.

Reducing food waste is a responsible act towards the environment and our society. Feeding 9 billion people is possible, and a day for the prevention of food waste can be the spark that ignites a new awareness among consumers.