Did you know that every packed school lunch creates an average of 67 pounds of trash per school year? I'm guessing that number is slightly lower at Summers-Knoll, as I look around at lunch time and see a lot of reusable and eco-friendly containers. Still, our trash cans are packed to the brim most every day - and a lot of that trash is unnecessary.
This Friday, January 8, our Environmental Super Heroes will (hopefully) be packing waste free lunches. I'll send out a reminder on Thursday, but in the meantime please plan on helping your child pack:
* only what he/she can eat
* only reusable containers or bags
* cloth napkin
* "real" forks and spoons
On Friday, please DON'T include Lunchable-type lunches, individually wrapped snacks, juice boxes, plastic baggies that are not reusable, straws, or disposable forks and spoons.
Waste-Free lunch tips include:
* packing sandwiches in reusable containers
* packing whole fruits without packaging
* putting drinks in thermoses or reusable containers
* buying snacks in bulk, then using reusable containers (big tubs of yogurt instead of Go-gurt and similar)
We will be studying lunches both before and after Friday, to note what can be reused, recycled, composted, or thrown away. We hope to see a difference on Friday, as children are made more aware of what can actually be saved from the trash can. Who knows? Our Super Heroes may want to start a waste-free lunch day EVERY week, for the whole school to participate in!
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