What food waste has to do with climate change

Miriam Weitz
March 8, 2023
Destruction of nature
With every food item that ends up in the trash, valuable resources such as farmland or water are also wasted. After all, the food was produced anyway, even if it wasn't eaten. Similarly, the product was packaged and transported to supermarkets or discount stores - which in turn means COβ emissions. Because the transport routes are often very long. Fruit is imported from South America by plane and vegetables from Asia. By the way, very often by plane - which is particularly harmful to the climate.
Moreover, a large portion of our food is no longer produced in Germany, let alone locally. A prime example is the palm oil plantations, for which people are displaced from their land and rainforests are cleared and/or slash-and-burned. This releases the carbon stored in the jungle soils and large amounts of greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere. Biofuel made from palm oil is also not climate-friendly, by the way. To be more precise, it is three times as harmful to the climate as gasoline made from crude oil (Source: Regenwald.org).
The destruction of the rainforest also leads to the disappearance of many rare animal species such as the orangutan or the Sumatran tiger.
What can I do to prevent food waste?
Of course, not everyone has to become a vegetarian or vegan to do something about climate change. It already helps to pay attention to the small things, such as opting for local and seasonal products when shopping and focusing on organic. Unpackaged food also helps to protect the climate. Fortunately, there are more and more zero-waste stores in many cities and villages. But the most important thing is that food no longer ends up in the trash because it has gone bad.
For instance, I try to be creative with recipes to use up leftovers, like vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers. Sometimes that results in a casserole or a stew. Moreover, I always try to buy only as much perishable food as we can actually consume in a week.
PantryApp against food waste
Our founder Matthias launched the SpeisekammerApp primarily because he wants to declare war on food waste. The app is designed to make food management as easy as possible.
Using the app is incredibly simple. Just scan the products with the barcode scanner and record the expiration date and storage location - that's it - and you'll get the nutritional information right away. Food items that are not in our database can be entered manually. The app works on iOS, Android, and through the browser. Data is synchronized in real time across different devices.
From anywhere, you can also check, for example, which groceries are still at home, how much there is, and where the expiration of the best-before date is imminent. This helps you avoid duplicate purchases and use up products before they spoil. By doing this, you can actively prevent food waste and at the same time do something against climate change.

Why we never stop refining Smantry β¨
At Smantry, we don't believe in 'finished'.
An app that is meant to accompany people in their daily lives is never complete β it grows, changes, and evolves. Just like the people who use it. π
We regularly pay attention to every detail:
How does a click feel? Is the path to a function clear enough? Does the idea behind a new view come across intuitively?
Sometimes it's just tiny things that make the difference β a better-placed button, a simplified overview, or a sentence that suddenly becomes clearer.
What drives us is the idea that Smantry should feel easy, familiar, and meaningful.
We want you to open the app and feel: "Ah, this is exactly how it should work."
Of course, not everything always goes perfectly. But that's exactly the point: We take the time to listen, to observe, to reconsider. Every piece of feedback, every use case, every new idea helps us to understand a little better what really matters.
Smantry is not a rigid product for us β it's a living process. A collaborative project that grows step by step.
And every update, every small improvement is a sign that we are on the right track:
A path to an app that doesn't feel like technology, but like support.
Towards a daily life that becomes simpler. Towards clarity, structure β and maybe even a bit of ease. πΏ
We're staying on it.
Because we are convinced that good things take time β and that it's worth creating them with heart.
Your
Smantry-Team

π± Staying on track made easy: How to stay motivated to create order and avoid food waste
We all know it: Initially, the motivation is high! You finally want to get your kitchen organized, keep an eye on your supplies, and shop more consciously. But after a few weeks, everyday life creeps back in β and the good resolutions start to falter.
With Smantry we want to support you not only in getting started, but also in sticking with it in the long term. πͺβ¨
1. Be aware of why you are doing this
Order and sustainability are not short-term trends β they grant you freedom, time, and a good feeling. If you know why you want to keep your supplies in check or throw away less food, it becomes much easier to stay consistent.
π Tip: Write down your 'why' in the app note or as a reminder.
2. Set small, achievable goals
Nobody becomes an organizing pro overnight. Start small:
- Today I'm just organizing the spice rack.
- Check the fridge this week.
- On your next shopping trip, purposefully buy only what you really need.
Small steps lead to success β and success motivates!
3. Make it easy for yourself β with smart helpers
Smantry automatically reminds you of expiring products, helps you keep track of your inventory, and assists you with shopping. This way, you have to think less and can enjoy more.
π The less effort required, the easier it is to stick with it!
4. Celebrate your progress π
Creating order or avoiding waste is a process, not a sprint. Regularly review what you have already accomplished β you may already see that you need to throw away less or that your supply is finally manageable. That's great!
5. Make it part of your routine
Schedule fixed 'Smantry moments': for example, briefly check the inventory on Sundays or update the shopping list before going shopping. Routines provide structure and make sustainable actions a matter of course.
π Conclusion:
Motivation is not a perpetual flame β but with the right tools and habits, you can reignite it time and again.
With Smantry, you have a smart companion by your side that helps you stay organized, consume more consciously, and incidentally do something good for yourself and the environment.

More clarity when shopping: How Open Food Facts and the Smantry app make nutrition transparent
Many foods look healthy at first glance β but what's really inside them? Are the nutritional values balanced? How processed is a product? And what impact does it have on our environment?
This is exactly where the Smantry-App comes in: It uses the globally open database Open Food Facts, to give you immediate clarity when scanning your items. But what's actually behind the colorful labels like Nutri-Score, NOVA or Eco-Score, that you encounter in the app?
Let's take a closer look at the background.
Open Food Facts: From the Idea to a Global Database
The journey began in 2012 with the founding of Open Food Facts β a non-profit organization that collects, analyzes, and makes food information freely accessible worldwide. The goal from the beginning was to provide consumers with scientifically substantiated information.
What started as a small project has now become a global platform with millions of products. And it is precisely this data that the Smantry-App uses to give you a clear overview directly on your smartphone.
An overview of the most important scores
1. Nutri-Score β how healthy is my product?
Since 2016, the Nutri-Score has been legally established in France β and it has quickly spread throughout Europe.
- A (green) means: very balanced.
- E (red) means: unbalanced, enjoy in moderation.
The rating is based on calories, sugar, salt, saturated fats β but also on positive factors such as fiber, protein, and the proportion of vegetables.
π So in the Smantry app, you can see at a glance whether a food item fits into your everyday life β or perhaps should be on the table less often.
2. NOVA-Score β how processed is it?
Not only the ingredients, but also the degree of processing plays a significant role for health. This is exactly what the NOVA-Score (integrated into Open Food Facts since 2018) shows you:
- 1 = unprocessed or minimally processed (e.g., fresh fruit, plain yogurt)
- 2 = ingredients such as vegetable oils, sugar, flour
- 3 = processed foods (e.g., bread, cheese, canned goods)
- 4 = highly processed products ("Ultra-Processed Food"), often with additives, flavors, and industrial processes
π With the Smantry app, you can instantly tell if a product is still 'close to nature' β or if it falls into the category of being highly processed.
3. Eco-Score (soon to be Green-Score) β how sustainable is my shopping?
Since 2019, Open Food Facts also includes an environmental assessment: the Eco-Score. It takes into account, among other things:
- COβ emissions from production and transportation,
- Packaging and recyclability,
- Origin and seasonal factors.
The rating is β similar to the Nutri-Score β from A (very eco-friendly) to E (less sustainable).
By 2025, this will become the Green-Score, which will take into account even more detailed data and thus provide you with even better guidance for sustainable consumption.
π For you in the Smantry app, this means: You can see not only whether a food is healthy for you, but also whether it is good for our planet.
What this means for you as a Smantry user
Currently, you can scan your products in the Smantry-App and view many details. The scores themselves are not yet integrated β but the integration is planned.
This means: Soon you will be able to see not only the nutritional values of a product but also how healthy, processed, or sustainable it is β all directly in your app.
Conclusion: Your Smart Nutrition Compass
The colorful labels are much more than pretty symbols. They are your quick compass in everyday life β whether you want to shop with health consciousness, reduce highly processed products, or pay attention to the environment.
With the Smantry-App you already have strong support for more transparency while shopping. And with the planned integration of the scores, it will become even more valuable β your smart nutritional compass for the future.

Cooking with the Future: Augmented Reality and Smart Interfaces for Your Recipes
Thatβs exactly what augmented reality (AR) and smart interfaces bring to the table. They project digital information where you need it most: into your cooking environment. This makes it easier to stay organized, cook more efficiently, and even reduce waste β because less stress in the kitchen often means fewer forgotten or spoiled ingredients.
And hereβs where Smantry comes in. The app already helps you keep track of your pantry, avoid food waste, and stay in control of your kitchen. With upcoming features like leftover-based recipe suggestions, youβre already stepping into the smart kitchen future today.
π Bottom line: The kitchen of tomorrow is here β and itβs efficient, sustainable, and surprisingly fun.