Preventing Waste in Packed Lunches
School garbage cans and our landfills are overflowing with individual serving packages: chip bags, applesauce and pudding cups, plastic utensils, juice pouches, bar wrappers, etc. Many of these items can be replaced with reusable or recyclable materials.
Single-use items fill up garbage cans
Whether your child takes lunch to school or you take lunch to work, we can make an impact by how we pack. Most items in a packed lunch have a lower trash alternative. For example a juice pouch or small yogurt container would end up in the garbage, however a refillable drink container can be reused, and a durable, reusable container can be filled from a larger yogurt container. Another example is applesauce. A jar of applesauce costs $.15 per serving, an individual cup is $.38 and a pouch costs $.69 per serving. Using a washable container from home generates no waste, while the cup and pouch need to go to the landfill. The empty jar of applesauce can be recycled. Having a ready-to-go pack with cloth napkin and washable utensils makes replacing those Sample packaging for reducing waste: can use cloth single-use items easier. napkins to wrap sandwiches!
So as you prepare lunches for you or your family, weigh the cost of it all: economic, environmental and time. We're all strapped for time, but find easy methods and containers that work for you. Work towards waste-free lunch packing, one container at a time. Make one switch and see how it goes. Small changes make a big impact over the course of 180 days of school or a year of working your job Why not try it and see? For more about school waste audits, waste reduction help, and waste-free lunches check out www.clarkgreenschools.org.
Post this handy reminder in your kitchen!
Yes, Please! No, thank you.
Reuse plastic bags over and over Disposable plastic bags
Reusable lunch containers and bags Prepackaged, single serve items
Cloth napkins Paper napkins
Stainless-steel forks and spoons, or wash and reuse plastic ones Disposable forks and spoons
Reusable drink containers Juice pouches
Drink containers and milk cartons for recycling