Originally Published: 2007-09-09

Back to school lunches can be a tricky challenge for parents, especially for those who want to cut back on waste related to kids’ lunches and snacks. But it’s important to remember that you can easily implement more eco-friendly options this school year without compromising the freshness and taste of your child’s meal.
While a packed lunch seems pretty innocuous, lunches are in fact a major source of waste. Plastic, juice pouches and plastic containers all add up to garbage — lots of it. In fact, the majority of household waste comes from food packaging, according to Eco-Cycle, a site dedicated to working towards waste-free communities.
The Ontario Waste Free Lunch Challenge (WFLC), a Canadian program that educates staff, students and parents about reducing lunch-related waste, estimates that an average Ontario student’s lunch produces 30 kg. of waste each school year; this adds up to an average of 8,500 kg. of waste annually per student.
Reducing lunch waste helps our community’s natural resources; plus, it saves schools big bucks on garbage disposal, making waste-free lunches an easy way to pursue a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
On top of it all, reducing lunch litter sets a great example for kids. “Packing waste-free lunches is important not only because it’s good for the environment now, but also because it teaches children the importance of taking the planet into consideration when making purchasing decisions,” say Amy Hemmert and Tammy Pelstring, two California moms and co-authors of The Laptop Lunch User’s Guide: Fresh Ideas for Packing Wholesome, Earth-friendly Lunches Your Kids Will Love.
Introducing items that can be reused can help make your child’s lunch litter-free. These changes are easy to make, and make a big difference. For example, use cloth as opposed to paper napkins, and stainless steel instead of plastic utensils, advises Eco-Cycle. Reusable drink containers are another good choice. Items to avoid include plastic wrap, plastic bags, wax paper and aluminum foil.

Page 1/...Page 2

Printable Version Email to a Friend Share

Voice Your Opinion Letter to the Editor