Rankin's latest exhibition tackles the impact of food waste on climate change

(Image credit: Rankin x Zero Waste Scotland)

The Glaswegian photographer known mononymously as Rankin has revealed a new exhibition delving into the issue of food waste. As the COP26 summit continues, the fashion and portrait photographer has displayed his latest series of images around Glasgow in the hope it will increase awareness.

Having photographed some of the most famous people in the world including Queen Elizabeth II, Madonna and Britney Spears, Rankin's latest project is a little less glamorous. Using food that would’ve otherwise ended up in the bin, Rankin and his team have created sculptures symbolizing plastic bottles to highlight the damaging impact of food waste on the future of our planet.

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So often we hear about the negative impact of plastic on the planet. Companies and individuals have made the effort to go plastic-free but it would seem that food waste is even more harmful. Just 1KG of food destined for landfill will produce the same amount of carbon emissions as 25,000 plastic bottles – a horrifying statistic.

Like so many people, Rankin had no idea that food waste was a bigger issue than single-use plastics. It seems like such a simple thing to solve – buy less, waste less – and yet America wastes 40 million tons of food every year. That’s 30-40% of the entire US food supply.

The outdoor exhibition opened on 02 November in the following locations: Sauchiehall Street, Bath Street, Wellington Street, Broomielaw and Bell Street in Glasgow. The images are free to view and will be on display until 19 November. This exhibition also marks Rankin’s first in his hometown since becoming an internationally recognized photographer.

COP26, aka the 2021 United Nations Climate Change conference, is currently taking place in Glasgow and leaders have joined together to discuss how to tackle the issue. While Rankins's exhibition won’t end the food waste problem, it’ll hopefully make more people aware and instigate a change in behavior.

Having studied Journalism and Public Relations at the University of the West of England Hannah developed a love for photography through a module on photojournalism. She specializes in Portrait, Fashion and lifestyle photography but has more recently branched out in the world of stylized product photography. Hannah spent three years working at Wex Photo Video as a Senior Sales Assistant, using her experience and knowledge of cameras to help people buy the equipment that is right for them. With eight years experience working with studio lighting, Hannah has run many successful workshops teaching people how to use different lighting setups.

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