Packing A Waste-Free School Lunch

Until now, we’ve relied on convenience to drive decisions about packing our kids school lunches: paper bags, baggies aluminum foil, individual and single-serving packing. All this waste ends up in the garbage when lunchtime ends. What is the environmental cost of this disposable mindset? One estimate suggests that for each school-age child who tosses the lunch bag and its contents, 67 pounds of waste is generated per school year. That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste per average elementary school.

How can you help reduce lunch time waste? A waste-free lunch begins with a reusable lunch bag and reusable food and beverage containers; even cloth napkins and silverware.

Here are some reasons to make the effort to send your children to school with a waste-free lunch:nn * By creating less garbage, you will save landfill space.
* You'll be saving on electricity by reducing the use of fossil fuels needed to produce the plastic bags, plastic utensils, and other disposables.
* You'll save trees by using cloth napkins in place of paper napkins and paper bagsn * You will pass along the right messages to your children (if they haven't already presented the idea to you!)

What does a waste-free lunch look like?

A Typical American Lunchn(DISPOSABLE)nn¨ sandwiches wrapped in aluminum or waxed pape
n¨ fruits and vegetables in baggiesnn¨ prepackaged chips, cookies, fruit bars, granola barsnn¨ individually wrapped cheese slicesnn¨ prepackaged yogurt, applesauce, and puddingnn¨ crackers, pretzels, chips, and other snack foods sealed in plastic bagsnn¨ juice boxes/pouches, water bottles,nn¨ plastic forks and spoonsnn¨ paper napkinsnn¨ disposable paper lunch bags

A Waste-Free Lunchn(REUSABLE)nn¨ sandwiches, pasta, salads, fresh fruit, vegetables in reusable containersnn¨ cloth napkinsnn¨ stainless-steel forks and spoonsnn¨ reusable drink containersnn¨ reusable lunchboxesnn*Food items are bought in family-size quantities to be used as needed. The packaging gets recycling after use. Waste-free lunches are not only a wise environmental choice, but they are less expensive as well.

What does it cost to pack a lunch?

A Disposable Lunch Costs $4.02/day or $723/year

A Waste-free Lunch Costs: $2.65/day or $477/year

So, You're already sending an Environmentally Sound Lunch?

Why not work with your PTA to plan a Waste Free Lunch Day?