This article first appeared in our COP29 special issue of My Green Pod Magazine. Click here to subscribe to our digital edition and get each issue delivered straight to your inbox
As COP29 kicks off, people everywhere will be looking for ways they can do their bit to fight the climate crisis – and one app can help us do just that, in a unique way.
Olio was founded by two friends with a simple yet powerful vision: to stop good food from going to waste.
What started as a local food-sharing platform in 2015 has since evolved into an app with over 8 million users, helping people all over the world to fight waste of any kind.
With Olio, anyone can easily share food, furniture, clothes, toiletries, books, toys, tools and lots (lots) more with their neighbours.
Businesses can also share their spare food for people nearby to request and collect.
At the same time, Olio is helping to build stronger, more connected communities – and tackling the climate crisis by helping to end waste.
Household consumption is responsible for 65% of global greenhouse gas emissions; by using Olio, we can all share the stuff we don’t need (rather than throw it away), help out our neighbours and protect our planet’s resources.
It’s as easy as snapping a picture, listing it on the app and waiting for a neighbour to collect it right from your doorstep.
The app also has a selling feature that allows you to make a few extra pounds in the process — so sharing can be good for your purse as well as the planet!
You can lend and borrow items, too. Need a drill for the day? On average, a drill is used for only 12 minutes in its entire lifetime so don’t buy one new – borrow one from a neighbour instead.
Millions of UK families are still feeling the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, with many also facing food insecurity.
While food and other items shared on Olio are available for everyone, the app has often been a vital helping hand for people going through a hard time.
75% of Olio’s app users say that Olio has improved their financial wellbeing, whether by providing access to free food shared by volunteers, collecting from supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, ASDA and more or by showcasing bargains in the Deals section, which shows real-time discounts on groceries available at local stores.
As the festive season approaches, Olio is also a perfect place to source gifts on a budget, with many great free finds up for grabs in your community.
While Olio’s mission is rooted in reducing waste, it’s also about reconnecting communities.
Over the years, lifelong friendships have been formed through Olio, and 40% of users report making friends through sharing on the app.
For those who would like to give back to the community, Olio’s food redistribution programme is powered by over 120,000 dedicated volunteers, who collect surplus supermarket food and share it through the app, allowing local people to access free food.
If you’ve been considering volunteering in your free time but haven’t taken the plunge, this is the perfect opportunity to make a real impact – and meet members of your local community in the process!
The team at Olio believes that millions of tiny actions caused the climate crisis, so by this same logic, millions of small, everyday actions — like sharing a meal or an unused item — can help reverse it.
OLIO joins forces with FareShare and major UK businesses to provide 200 million free meals by the end of the year.
Planning permission granted for sustainable neighbourhood that prioritises healthy diets and lifestyles.
Doughnut Economics Action Lab’s Leonora Grcheva on how Doughnut Economics can help local governments address complex crises.
£6m National Lottery funding supports community initiatives to combat climate change.
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