School Lunch Waste

We'veallcometodependuponschoollunchthrowawaystokeepusmovingspeedilythrougheachday,butsuchconveniencescomeatanenvironmentalcost:theneedforenergy and resources used to bring those meals to the school cafeteria and thecon<nuedincreaseinthenumberoflandfillsandgarbageincineratorscloggedupwithtrash,whichul<matelybelchouthazardousemissions.

A waste‐free lunch program, that includes students, parents, and school staffeduca<on about theprovenienceof ourmeals, aboutwhere our trash ends up andhowwe,as individuals,canreducetheamountof trashwegenerate,cansave<me,moneyandtheenvironment.

School Lunch Waste

Otherbookletsandpresenta<onsalso

available

www.eco‐briefs.com

Producedby

ProvokarePresenta<onswww.provokare.com

CopyrightsProvokarePresenta2ons‐RobertoGiannicola

School Lunch WasteProvokare

PRESENTATIONSwww.provokare.com

3 of 40

ContentsPleaseconsidertheenvironmentbeforeprin<ngthisbooklet

TRASH

TrashSor<ng 5

PlainandChocolateMilk 6

Fruit 7

HomeMadeSandwiches 8

Pizza 9

FrozenPeachCups 10

BoSledWater 11

Drinks:juiceboxes,milkcartons,juicepouches,sodacans,plas<cboSles 12

HomePackaging:Ziplocbags,paperbags,aluminumfoil 13

CrackerbagsandYogurtcontainers 14

Servingtrays,spoons,straws,napkins 15

WasteGenerated 16

AnnualAvoidableCost 17

ImpactofOurWaste 18

FoodWasteImpact 19

HungerinAmerica 20

WasteFacts 21

MilkandtheEnvironment 22

Happycowsarefrom... 23

EnvironmentalImpactofBananaGrowing 24

BoSledWaterWaste 25

Plas<cBagsarekillingus 26

ReusingZiplocbags 27

Drinks:thereisabeSerway 28

Homemadelunches 29

Na<onalSchoolLunchProgram 30

ForParents:Educa<onstartsathome‐Reducingfoodwaste 31‐32

Costcomparisonwastefreelunch 33

HazardousWasteDisposal‐SanFranciscoBayArea 37

Title PageNumber

UsefulLinks 36

InSchool:ReducingWaste 34‐35

SOLUTIONS

IMPACT



4 of 40

What can we find in the waste of an average elementary school lunch? Here are pictures of the items found in the trash, with information about the resources and impact to produce these items, as well as the impact of all the waste generated.

The typical American school child generates 67 pounds of discarded lunch waste per school year. Thatʼs more than 18,000 pounds yearly for the average sized elementary school.

Children do not always eat everything on their lunch or breakfast trays. While the USDA attempts to mandate compliance in nutrition integrity of meals provided by school food services, there is no guarantee that children will actually consume everything. While students choose meals that are healthful, many do not eat all of the food. Vegetables and fruit are the least popular item and milk boxes are often too cumbersome to open so more than a third of the milk is discarded.

Too many parents pack lunch items in single-use plastic bags, aluminum foil, or wax paper, or they purchase single-serving items that come in their own disposable package. Admittedly, these products are extremely convenient, but what is the environmental cost to a country that relies so heavily on them? Landfills are full and overflowing. Incinerators pump contaminants into the air.

The waste producers come in the form of plastic water bottles, juice and milk boxes, sandwich baggies, yogurt and fruit cup containers, and foil-type packaging of “snack size” convenience foods.



5 of 40

Trash Sorting

The Process

After lunch, all garbage cans were gathered, and items were sorted before being laid down on a tarp to count and photograph.

All items were displayed by categories:

• milk boxes• juice boxes• water bottles• soda cans• yogurt containers• homemade lunches/sandwiches• cafeteria served lunches• fruit• snacks• packaging• aluminum foil• Ziploc bags• paper bags• spoons, straws, napkins• lunch trays

These categories were then grouped andtallied:

• Food - Non compostable• Food - Compostable• Recyclable• Non - Recyclable• Milk in gallons• Trays

Trash sorting was done for four days, however, we spent several days at the school to watch the students go through lunch and then monitor what was thrown in the waste.

As per my personal experience, and the discussions with the volunteers and staff in the lunchroom, these four days offered a good representation of the average amount of food served, and the waste generated at this elementary school.

Over 200 students eat lunch in the cafeteria every day.Trash sorting was done at Murwood Elementary in Walnut Creek, CA.



6 of 40

Plain and Chocolate MilkDaily 1/2 pint milk cartons in the trash or poured down the drain

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Daily Average

Yearly Average

(158 days)

YearlyAverage Cost

$

Unopened Plain Milk (cartons) ($0.19/pc)

8 4 3 8 5.8 909 $172.00

Unopened Chocolate Milk (cartons)($0.22/pc)

12 24 7 13 14 2212 $487.00

Poured Out Milk - (Gallons) 2.5 1.75 2.5 2.3 2.3 357

Poured Out Milk - Equivalent in cartons (mostly choc.avg.$0.21/pc)

40 28 40 37 37 5720 $1201.00

TOTAL CARTONS16 cartons of 1/2 pint milk = One Gallon

60 56 50 58 56.75 8966 $1860.00

TOTAL GALLONS 3.75 3.5 3.15 3.6 3.55 560



7 of 40

Fruit

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Daily Average

Yearly Average

(see notes)

Yearly Average

Cost $0.20/pc)

Full Pears 18 1 - - 9 513 $103.00

Partial Pears (1/2 count) 7 - - - 7 378 $38.00

Full Oranges/Mandarins 14 18 8 5 11 889 $178.00

Full Apples 9 26 13 28 19 3002 $120.00

Partial Apples (1/2 count) 11 22 11 16 15 2370 $47.00

Yearly Average

(Lbs)

154

113

267

600

474

TOTAL 59 67 32 49 61 7151 $603.01608

Partial Banana - 4 - 4 4 216 $43.0065

Full Banana - 2 1 10 4.3 234 $47.0070

Full Kiwi - - 2.5 - 2.5 135 $27.0027

Notes:

Not the same fruit is served every day except for apples and oranges. The calculations were done appropriately.

In the 158 days of school, on average, pears, bananas and kiwis are served 54 days, oranges 79 days, apples 158 days, oranges, 89 days.



8 of 40

Homemade Sandwiches

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Daily Average

Yearly Average

(158 days)

Yearly Average Cost $

Full Sandwiches (still in bag) 13 12 8 21 13.5 2133 1173

Partial Sandwiches (1/3) 22 22 20 18 20.5 3239 593

Yearly Average

(Lbs)

533

268

801 $1766321220.332714.619.320.3TOTAL ( 1 + 0.33)

One sandwich average = 4 ozOne loaf sandwich bread avg: $ 3.50 with 20 slices. One sandwich = $0.35 bread + $ 0.20 cheese, meat, peanut butter, etc...= COST : $0.55/sandwich



9 of 40

Pizza

One slice of pizza average = 5 oz. Cost is $0.44 per slice. Note that the total weight is for partial or full slices of pizza. Crusts are not included in the calculations. Consistently, most crusts are thrown in the trash. Pizza without cheese in the crust won't sell as well.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Daily Average

Yearly Average (45 days)


Pizza Partially Eaten (1/2) 23 - 24 - 23.5 1058 $230.0

Yearly Average

(Lbs)

165



10 of 40

Frozen Peach Cups

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Daily Average

Yearly Average

(158 days)


Ice Fruit - Unopened 1 6 1 3 2.8 435 $117.00

Ice Fruit - Partial (1/2) 10 9 14 14 11.8 1857 $251.00

$368.0013638.62510810.56TOTAL ( 1 + 0.5)

One container = 4 ozCOST : $0.27/ pc

Althougholderkidscanmoreeasilyopenthecontainer,theyoungeroneshavedifficultypullingthetab.Asenjoyableasafrozencupisinthesummer,becauseoftheshort2meallocatedforlunch,oCenchildrendon'thave2metoletitthawaliFleandcanonlyscoopafewspoonfullsbeforerunningouttorecess.Manycontainersarethenthrowninthetrashunopenedorwith80%ofthefruituneaten.



11 of 40

Bottled Water

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Daily Average

Yearly Average

(158 days)


Water - Unopened 2 5 4 4 3.8 593 $297.00

Water - Partial (1/2) 6 8 5 9 7 1106 $276.00

Yearly Average (Gallons)

35

30

65 $573.0011737.38.56.595TOTAL ( 1 + 0.5)

Bottles are 240ml, not part of the meal, purchased at cost from student.COST : $0.50/ pc



12 of 40

Drinks: juice boxes, milk cartons, aluminum juice pouches, soda cans, plastic bottles


Yearly Average(158 days)

144 148 175 183 162.6 25643

304219.32323247Juice Pouches

16195102.51101079796Milk cartons

260716.522161018Juice Boxes

304219.326231018Plastic Bottles

79052675Soda cans



13 of 40

Home Packaging: Ziploc bags, paper bags, Aluminum Foil

These were not from school lunches, but from parents prepared lunches. Ziploc bags were used for sandwiches, fruit or crackers. Foils, were often used to wrap sandwiches, while the paper bags were used as a lunch box, containing all these items.


Yearly Average

(158 days)

YearlyAverage Cost

$

$271.00

79056347Aluminum foil

$$

$22155303544284028Ziploc bags (0.04c/ bag)

$50165910.51013136Paper bags (0.03c/ bag)



14 of 40

Craker Bags and Yogurt Containers

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Daily Average Yearly Average (158

days)

Cracker bags 9 4 10 22 11.3 1778

Yogurt containers 39 44 40 46 42.3 6676



15 of 40

Serving Trays, Spoons, Straws, Napkins

Napkins, straws and spoons were counted seperately because most of the time, the straws are not used and over 95 percent of the time the napkins are left in the the bag unused. Cost per set $0.01.

Trays were switched to styrofoam because of the cost and because waste management would trash them regardless of the material. The compostable trays are so dense, it would require a temperature of over 160F to break them down. School composting reaches only about 140F. The trays, spoons, napkins and straws are trashed everyday. Cost of trays: compostable .08c/pc, Styrofoam .03c/pc


Yearly Average

(158 days)

YearlyAverage Cost

$

Plastic Spoons 96 112 86 131 106 16788 $150.00

Plastic Straws 81 81 87 79 82 12956

Unused Napkins 89 102 97 105 98 15524

Trays 175 157 190 187 177 28006 $2240.00

SERVINGS 192 193 210 216 203 32074 $2390.00



16 of 40

Waste Generated


Yearly Average (158

days)

Edibles - Non-Compostable (Lbs) 14 6 8 6 8.6 1363

Edibles - Compostable (Lbs) 15 18 13 18 16 2528

Waste - Non-Recyclable (Lbs) 38 44 34 38 38.5 6083

Waste - Recyclable (Lbs) 8 7 5 6 6.5 1027

Trays (Lbs) 14 12 15 15 14 2212

Yearly Average Per

Child

7

13

30

5

11

TOTAL 89 88 75 83 83.75 13213 66 Lbs

Notes:

Edibles -Non Compostables are items like: pizza, meat, dairy products, seafood, etc.. although accepted in industrial composting, they are not good for school composting.

The Yearly Average weight per serving is based on an average of 200 servings a day. Note that the national average is 67 lbs per person.



17 of 40

Annual Avoidable Cost

Milk (plain and chocolate)

Fruit

Homemade Sandwiches

Spoons and Trays

Home Packaging

Yearly Cost $

$ 1,860.00

$ 603.00

$ 1,766.00

$ 2,390.00

$ 271.00

Total $ 8,061.00

Bottled Water $ 573.00

Frozen Peach Cups $ 368.00

Pizza $ 230.00

Notes:

Items provided by the school lunch are:Milk, fruit (90%), pizza, frozen peach cups, spoons and trays.

Sandwiches are from home. Bottled water is provided by the school but are charged extra to student $0.50 a bottle.

Home packaging includes all plastic wraps, Ziploc bags and brown bags as well as juice containers, crackers and granola bars provided by parents.



18 of 40

Impact of Our Waste

Americans' trash has grown faster than its population over the past few decades. Although the population grew by 65 percent between 1960 and 2005, the amount of trash thrown out doubled from 83 million tons to 167 million tons.

These amounts are for municipal solid waste or household trash including packaging, food scraps, old sofas, and refrigerators after material was pulled out for composting or recycling. Americans generate about 4.5 pounds of household trash per capita per day. We recycle a little over 1 pound per person each day.

Several Factors Affect Population Growthʼs Impact on the Environment

While Americans' high-consumption way of life produces a disproportionately large amount of waste and uses inordinate amounts of natural resources, there is no one easy way to reduce America's impact on the environment. To persuade Americans to consume less, cultural perceptions about consumption must be adjusted through behavioral change, education, and understanding the impact of the products we use not only as the waste it generates, but also at the source.

It is important to understand what resources are necessary to produce what Americans consume every day. The impact is not only to the environment, but also to people and animals, locally and across the world.

The amount of trash still exceeds the amount recycled and composted.

Source: U.S. EPA, Municipal Solid Waste: 2005 Facts and Figures (2006).

The United States' reaching 300 million people might not seem relevant at a global level. After all, the United States represents just 5 percent of the world population. But it consumes disproportionately larger amounts than any other nation in the world—at least one-quarter of practically every natural resource.

Because it is the only industrialized country in the world still experiencing significant population growth, this high rate of resource consumption is expected to continue.

Each person in the U.S. contributes more to the global phenomenon [of natural resource consumption] than other people.

Source: Center for Environment and population - www.cepnet.org



19 of 40

Food Waste - Impact

The United States spends about 1 billion dollars a year just to dispose of food waste.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, food leftovers are the single-largest component of the waste stream by weight in the United States. Food waste includes uneaten food and food preparation scraps from residences or households, commercial establishments like restaurants, institutional sources like school cafeterias, and industrial sources like factory lunchrooms. Over 12 percent of the total municipal solid waste generated in American households was food scraps and less than three percent was recovered. The rest was thrown away and disposed in landfills or combusted in incinerators.

The environmental impact of food disposal is significant. The decomposition of food and other organic waste in landfills produces methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more damaging to

the environment than carbon dioxide. Landfills are the largest human-related source of methane in the United States, accounting for 34 percent of all methane emissions.

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/organics/food/index.htm

A 2004 study showed that forty to fifty percent of all food ready for harvest in the United States never gets eaten.

Timothy Jones, an anthropologist at the University of Arizona, Tuscon, Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology, spent 10 years measuring food loss at all levels of food production and consumption. He discovered not only that about half of the food produced in America was discarded, but also that much of it could feed people who need it. On top of that, the rate of food loss, even partially corrected, could save US consumers and manufacturers tens of billions of dollars each year.

FoodWasteinAmerica

http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Supply-Chain/Half-of-US-food-goes-to-waste

Moral and economic issues aside, it is the environmental concerns around food waste that is driving the push for reform on how to treat the problem of leftovers. Methane, the gas food waste produces, traps 23 times as much heat in the atmosphere as the same amount of CO2, the EPA says. And landfills are the place you will find most of it -- they account for 34 percent of all methane emissions in the U.S.

The University of Arizona believes that if Americans cut their food waste in half, it would reduce the country's environmental impact by 25 percent. The UK's Waste & Resources Action Program (WRAP) -- which says the entire food supply chain in the UK contributes 20 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions -- believes that if we stopped throwing out edible food, the impact it would have on CO2 emissions would be the equivalent of taking 1 in 5 cars off the road.



20 of 40

Hunger in America

We have the means to end hunger in America as the first step to ending global hunger.

In the United States, according to the USDA, twenty-seven percent of all the food produced each year is lost at the retail, consumer, and food service levels. That turns out to be about nearly 1.5 tons of food per year for every man, woman, and child in the United States who faces hunger. To put it another way, in the U.S. we throw away about 263,013,699 pounds of food a day... every single day! And much of what is wasted actually is just surplus food. It is perfectly edible.

While all that good food is being wasted, there are over 37 million Americans who struggle daily to get enough to eat. Nearly half of these people are children. A large number are elderly. But no matter who they are or where they live or why they are impoverished, there is no excuse for anyone to go hungry in America when so much food goes to waste.

Poverty is the leading cause of hunger in America. Over 37 million people in the United States live below the poverty line and are at risk of hunger.

• 12.5 percent of the nation's population lived in poverty in 2007.• In 2007, the poverty rate for families was 9.8 percent, comprising 7.6 million

families.• The poverty rate in 2007 for American children under 18 was 18.0 percent, up

from 17.4 percent in 2006• 13 million children live in poverty in th U.S.• The U.S. poverty rate for people 65 and over is 9.7 percent; 3.5 million elderly live

in poverty.• Of all family groups, poverty is highest among those headed by single women.• As a whole, U.S. cities report that they are not able to meet the need for providing

shelter for the homeless and have a limited ability to meet the need for emergency food assistance.

• An estimated 24 to 27 million people in the U.S. turned to hunger relief agencies in 2006.

• 35.9% of American households receiving food from food banks, shelters and pantries have one or more adults employed.

United States Hunger Facts

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty.html



21 of 40

WASTE FACTS

LUNCHWASTEFACTS

ALUMINUMFOIL Morethan20millionHershey'skissesarewrappedwith133squaremilesoffoileveryday

PAPERBAGSANDNAPKINS Itises2matedthat17treesarecutdownforeverytonofnon‐recycledpaper

PLASTICBOTTLES,FORKS,WRAP U.S.ci2zensdiscard2.5millionplas2cboFlesEVERYHOUR

JUICEBOXES Mostinorganictrashretainsitsweight,volume,andformforatleastfourdecades

BANANAANDORANGEPEELS Fooddebrisinalandfilldecomposeonly25%inthefirst15years

ALUMINUMANDTINCANS Inthe2meittakesyoutoreadthissentence,morethan50,00012‐ozaluminumcansweremade.Recyclingonealuminumcansavesanamountofenergyequivalenttohalfthatcanfilledwithgasoline.

STYROFOAM U.S.ci2zensthrowaway25billionstyrofoamcupsEVERYYEAR

Food waste includes leftover portions of meals and trimmings from food preparation activities in kitchens, restaurants and fast food chains, and cafeterias. Food waste is the third largest component of generated waste (after yard waste and corrugated boxes) and second largest component of discarded waste, after yard waste. The amount of food waste generated in the waste stream has increased by 1.2 million tons in the last 25 years, this is one of the lowest increases on a percentage basis of any component of the waste stream.

Paper cups consume trees, water, and chemicals, and dump them into streams and landfills- they are not re-cyclable. Paper cups are often wax-coated which reduces their bio-degradeability further. Paper products make up over 40 percent by weight , slightly higher by volume - of this country's municipal solid waste, by far the largest contributor.

Every year nearly 900,000,000 trees are cut down to provide raw materials for American paper and pulp mills.

The United States generates approximately 208 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) a year. That's 4.3 pounds per person per day.("Recycling and Buy Recycling Fact Sheets", America Recyclers Day)

Every year some 45,000 tons of plastic waste are dumped into the world's oceans. One of the results of this is that up to one million seabirds and one hundred thousand marine mammals are killed each year by plastic trash such as fishing gear, six-pack yokes, sandwich bags, and styrofoam cups.



22 of 40

Milk and the Environment

Itcantakeupto2,000gallonsofwatertoproduceonegallonofmilk.*

Thecowneedswatertoperformbasicbiologicalfunc2onsfromdaytoday,andonlyafrac2onofthewaterthecowconsumesis

actuallyconvertedintomilk.Thefactthatittakessomuchwatertoproducecow'smilkmeansthatwas2ngonegallonofmilkislikepouring1,999gallonsoffreshwaterdownthedrain.

WithwatertablesfallingallaroundtheworldandshortagesappearingnowintheUnitedStatesandthroughoutAsia,itbecomesincreasinglyimportantforustoprac<cewaterconserva<onasconsumers.We,asaspecies,simplycannot

affordtoliveinanenvironmentwherewatertableshavedroppedbeyondourabilitytopumpwateroutoftheground.Ifwecon2nuetouseourwaterinwastefulways,suchassuppor2nganimalproductslikebeef,cheeseandmilk,thenwewillrunoutofwater.Aroundtheworld,farmersandranchersconsumethevastmajorityofthewatersupply.

* Water: Drinking, Irrigation, Clean up, from rain, rivers, reservoir, aquifiers** 560 x 2000 = 1,120,000 gallons Olympic Pool = 660,000 gallons

Water Waste560 gallons of milk =

1.5 Olympic Swimming Pool of Water**


Yearly Average

(158 days)

TOTAL CARTONS 60 56 50 58 56.75 8966

TOTAL GALLONS 3.75 3.5 3.15 3.6 3.55 560

Livestockgeneratesmoregreenhousegasesthandrivingcars.Sothemoreweeatmeatordairyproductsthehigherthedemandandthehighertheconcentra<onofgasesbeingproduced.

Livestock(cowsandsheep)damagetheair,landandwater,threeresourceswecan'tlivewithout.Currently,livestockaccountsformoreCO2(9%),methane(37%),ammonia(64%)andnitrousoxide(65%)emissionsthanhumancontribu2onstogreenhousegases.

TheNaturalResourceDefenceCouncilagreeswiththeFAOthatlivestockpollu2onaffectspublichealth,especiallywater.

Californiaofficialshaveiden2fiedcowsandagricultureasthemajorsourceofnitratepollu2oninmorethan100,000squaremilesofpollutedgroundwater.Livestockdamagesourwaterresources;contribu2ngtowaterpollu2on.Themajorpollu2ngagentsareanimalwastes,an2bio2csandhormones,chemicals

fromtanneries,fer2lizersandpes2cides.

FAO’sLivestock'sLongShadow

8966 cartons stacked on top of each other would reach an altitude of over 2200 feet.

Produc<onCost:AccordingtotheUSDA,theaveragemonthlycostfordairyproduc2onis$20.82per100lbsofmilkor11.60gallons.

Theproduc2oncostofonegallonofmilkistherefore:$1.80.Produc<oncostofmilkgonetowaste:$1,008.00

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/CostsAndReturns/



23 of 40

Happy Cows are from....

Dairy Farms

Cows produce milk for the same reason that humans do: to nourish their babies. In order to force the animals to continue giving milk, factory farmers impregnate them using artificial insemination every year. Calves are generally taken from their mothers within a day of being born—males are destined for veal crates or the equivalent of feed lots, and females are sentenced to the same fate as their mothers.

Mother cows on dairy farms can often be seen searching and calling for their calves long after they have been separated.

Author Oliver Sacks, M.D., wrote of a visit that he and cattle expert Dr. Temple Grandin made to a dairy farm and of the great tumult of bellowing that they heard when they arrived: “ʻThey must have separated the calves from the cows this morning,ʼ Temple said, and, indeed, this was what had happened. We saw one cow outside the stockade, roaming,looking for her calf, and bellowing. ʻThatʼs not a happy cow,ʼ Temple said.ʻThatʼs one sad, unhappy, upset cow. She wants her baby. Bellowing for it, hunting for it. Sheʼll forget for a while, then start again. Itʼs like grieving, mourning—not much written about it. People donʼt like to allow them thoughts or feelings.ʼ”

Cows are hooked up to milk machines that often tear their udders.

After their calves are taken from them, mother cows are hooked up, several times a day, to machines that take the milk intended for their babies. Using genetic manipulation, powerful hormones, and intensive milking, factory farmers force cows to produce about 10 times as much milk as they naturally would. Many animals continue to be pumped full of bovine growth hormone (BGH), which contributes to painful inflammation of the udder known as “mastitis.” (BGH is still used throughout the U.S., but has been banned in Europe and Canada because of concerns over human health and animal welfare.) According to the industryʼs own figures, between 30 and 50 percent of dairy cows suffer from mastitis, an extremely painful condition.

A cowʼs natural lifespan is 25 years, but cows used by the dairy industry are killed after only four or five years. An industry study reports that by the time they are killed, nearly 40 percent of dairy cows are lame because of the filth, intensive confinement, and the strain of constantly being pregnant and giving milk. Dairy cows are turned into soup, companion animal food, or low-grade hamburger meat because their bodies are too “spent” to be used for anything else.



24 of 40

Environmental Impact of Banana Growing

Thecurrentprac<cesofbananafarminginmanyareasoftheworldarecontribu<ngtothedestruc<onoftropicalrainforests‐oneofthemostdiverseecosystemsonourplanet.75%oftheearth’sbiodiversitylivesintheseforests,andbecausethemajorityofbananasaregrowninmonocultureplanta<ons(planta<onsinwhichtheyaretheonlytypeofvegeta<on),aswellasareasofclearedrainforest, theyareplayingabigpart inthetragic lossofbiodiversityweareseeingtoday.We,asAmericanconsumerseat,onaverage,twenty‐eightpoundsofbananasperpersonperyear.

MonocultureAmajorproblemassociatedwith growingany crop in amonoculture is that

once the land has been devoted to agriculture for a single species, soil fer2litydiminishes greatly. Deforesta2on, has resulted in the loss of a great amount ofproduc2veland,duetothefactthatonceprotec2veforestcoverisdepleted,overallsoil quality greatly declines. Banana producers are forced to con2nually expandtheirfieldstomakeupforthediminishedproduc2onperhectare,andthecycleofdestruc2onbeginsagain.

Pes<cidesOnmanybananaplanta2ons,fungicidesandinsec2cidesareappliedasmany

asforty2mesayear,amoun2ngtoatotaluseofnearly44kilogramsperhectare. Notonlydothesechemicalscausecancer and muta2ons in humans, making them extremely harmful to the workers on planta2ons, but they are alsodevasta2ngtothesurroundingenvironment.ACerseepingintothewatertable,thetoxicsubstancesfindtheirwayintolocalaqua2csystems,makingthewateranunsuitablehabitatformanytypesofwildlife.Sedimentsfromoverusedlandandagrochemicalrunoffarecontribu2ngtocoralreefdeteriora2onoffthecoastsofCostaRica.Tortoisesandmanateesarefacingex2nc2onpartlyduetothefactthatpes2ciderunoffkillsthealgaeonwhichtheyfeed.

RoSenFruit:TheSocialImplica<onsoftheBananaEconomyWhenyoubuyabananaatasupermarket,youarepurchasingaproductresponsibleforthesocialillsofthousands

ofplanta2onworkers.ThebananaoCenhasit’soriginsinatopicalcountrysuchasEcuador,CostaRica, or thePhilippines. In these countries the treatment suchworkers endureunder corporatemanagementisnowherenearwhatwouldbeconsidered“fair”inadevelopedna2on.

Workersmustconstantlyhandledangerouschemicalswithoutproperprotec2veequipmentand they are also showered with these poisonous chemicals during aerial fumiga2ons. Thismixture of humans and chemicals has caused thousands of men to become sterilized andhundreds of children to be bornwith birth defects. There is a reason that these chemicals arebannedintheUnitedStates.

WhatisBeingDone?Asawarenessisbeingraisedaboutthehugenega2veenvironmentalimpactsofmono‐cropbananaplanta2ons,an

increasingnumberofexportersarechoosingtoharvestmoreenvironmentallyfriendlyfruitbylimi2ngchemicalusageontheirplants. In1991,ChiquitaBrands Interna2onalbegan its “BeFerBananaProject,” requiringbananaproducers tomaintain certain standards and environmental prac2ces such as reducedpes2cideusage and soil conserva2on.Manyothersmallercorpora2onsandindependentfarmershavechosenthe“organic”path,curngoutsynthe2cagrochemicalusagealtogether.

BuyOrganic!In the long run, it is only individual consumers’ preferences thatwillmake adifference, and ifmorepeoplebuy

organicbananas,moreorganicfarmersiswhatwillresult. Buyingorganicisaneasytransi2ontomake,andarela2velysimplewaytoreducethenega2veimpactourea2nghabitsarehavingontheenvironmentinsomeofthemostproduc2veandvaluableecosystemsintheworld.



25 of 40

Bottled Water

Bottled Water Means GarbageBottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year. According to Food and Water Watch, that plastic requires up to 47 million gallons of oil per year to produce. And while the plastic used to bottle beverages is of high quality and in demand by recyclers, over 80 percent

of plastic bottles are simply thrown away.

That assumes empty bottles actually make it to a garbage can. Plastic waste is now at such a volume that vast eddies of current-bound plastic trash now spin endlessly in the worldʼs major oceans. This represents a great risk to marine life, killing birds and fish which mistake our garbage for food.

Thanks to its slow decay rate, the vast majority of all plastics ever produced still exist … somewhere.

Bottled water is healthy water, right? In fact, most bottled water actually comes from a tap. And thereʼs nothing healthy about plastic waste.

Bottled water is healthy water — or so marketers would have us believe. Just look at the labels or the bottled water ads: deep, pristine pools of spring water; majestic alpine peaks. In reality, bottled water is just water.

Bottled water is big business. But in terms of sustainability, bottled water is a dry well.

Bottled water means less attention to public systems!

Many people drink bottled water because they donʼt like the taste of their local tap water, or because they question its safety.

Bottled water manufacturersʼ marketing campaigns capitalize on isolated instances of contaminated public drinking water supplies by encouraging the perception that their products are purer and safer than tap water. But the reality is that tap water is actually held to more stringent quality standards than bottled water, and some brands of bottled water are just tap water in disguise.

Thereʼs plenty of need. In California, for example, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimated the requirement of $17.5 billion in improvements to the stateʼs drinking water infrastructure as recently as 2005. In the same year, the state lost 222 million gallons of drinkable water to leaky pipes.

The Corporatization of Water

In the documentary film Thirst, authors Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman demonstrated the rapid worldwide privatization of municipal water supplies. Thanks to increasing urbanization and population, shifting climates, and industrial pollution, fresh water is becoming humanityʼs most precious resource.

Multinational corporations are stepping in to purchase groundwater and distribution rights wherever they can, and the bottled water industry is an important component in their drive to commoditize what many feel is a basic human right: the access to safe and affordable water.

What can you do?

Thereʼs a simple alternative to bottled water: buy a stainless steel thermos, and use it. Donʼt like the way your local tap water tastes? Inexpensive carbon filters will turn most tap water sparkling fresh at a fraction of bottled waterʼs cost.



26 of 40

Plastic Bags are Killing Us

The plastic bag is an icon of convenience culture, by some estimates the single most ubiquitous consumer item on Earth, numbering in the trillions. They're made from petroleum or natural gas with all the attendant environmental impacts of harvesting fossil fuels. One recent study found that the inks and colorants used on some bags contain lead, a toxin. Every year, Americans throw away some 100 billion plastic bags after they've been used to transport a prescription home from the drugstore or a quart of milk from the grocery store. It's equivalent to dumping nearly 12 million barrels of oil.

Only 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled worldwide -- about 2 percent in the U.S. -- and the rest, when discarded, can persist for centuries. They can spend eternity in landfills, but that's not always the case. They're so aerodynamic that even when they're properly disposed of in a trash can they can still blow away and become litter. It's as litter that plastic bags have the most baleful effect. And we're not talking about your everyday eyesore.

Once aloft, stray bags cartwheel down city streets, alight in trees, billow from fences like flags, clog storm drains, wash into rivers and bays and even end up in the ocean, washed out to sea. Bits of plastic bags have been found in the nests of albatrosses in the remote Midway Islands. Floating bags can look all too much like tasty jellyfish to hungry marine critters.

According to the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation,

more than a million birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die every year from eating or getting entangled in plastic. The conservation group estimates that 50 percent of all marine litter is some form of plastic. There are 46,000 pieces of plastic litter floating in every square mile of ocean, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. In the Northern Pacific Gyre, a great vortex of ocean currents, there's now a swirling mass of plastic trash about 1,000 miles off the coast of California, which spans an area that's twice the size of Texas, including fragments of plastic bags. There's six times as much plastic as biomass, including plankton and jellyfish, in the gyre. It is an endless stream of incessant plastic particles everywhere you look. Fifty or 60 years ago, there was no plastic out there.

The problem with plastic bags isn't just where they end up, it's that they never seem to end. All the plastic that has been made is still around in smaller and smaller pieces. Plastic doesn't biodegrade. That means unless they've been incinerated -- a noxious proposition -- every plastic bag you've ever used in your entire life still exists in some form, even fragmented bits, and will exist long after you're dead.



27 of 40

Reusing Ziploc BagsZiplocbagsaresohandy,yetsowasteful.Usethemonceandthrowthemaway,right?Wrong!Whynotsimplywashthem?Youprobablydon'twanttodothisifthestoragebagwasholdingrawmeatorfish,butifitwasonlyholdingasandwich,crackersorevencheese,trythis:

Letyourusedstoragebagsaccumulateun2lyouhaveafew.Thentakethebags,turntheminsideout,beingcarefultogetthecornerspulledallthewayout.Filladishpanorpotinyoursinkwithhot,sudsywateranddipeachbaginturn,wipingitcleanwithaspongeandrinsingit.Thenit's2metohangthemonyourclotheslineordryingrack.Turnthemrightsideinagain‐‐especiallyifyou'reeventhinkingabouthangingthemoutsidesomewhereverydirty‐‐andclipthemupbyonecorner.

Itmayseemalotoftroubletogojusttoreusesomethingmeanttobeusedjustonce‐‐butthematerialthesebagsaremadeofwillbearoundforever,soifyoumustpossessthesebags,theleastyoucandoisdoubleortripletheirintendedusage.

WhentheZiplocbagsaretoobeatuptouseforfoodstorageanymore,keeponeortwosetasideaspastrybagsandsaucebags:justputwhateversauceordoughyouneedtodistributeintoabag,snipthecorneroff,etvoila!Instantpastrybag.Useotherrejectbagsfortravel,keepingyourtoiletries,wetsmallclothingitems,andelectronicsallapartfromeachother.

Otheruses:Bycurngasmallholeinthecornerofabaggie,youhaveaninstanticingbag.Youcancleanthemandsavethemuptomakeawreath...ifyou'reintothatsortofthing.PlacearecipecardinsidethemwhilecookingtoprotectthepaperfromanysplaFers.

Findoutwhereyoucanrecycleplas<cbags:www.plas<cbagrecycling.org

AbeSeralterna<ve:Useareusablelunchbox,sandwichboxandutensils.

WashyourZiplocbags



28 of 40

Drinks: Theres is a better way!

A popular convenience product is the juice box, ubiquitous in school lunch boxes. Juice boxes were an immediate hit with parents because they are convenient, have a long shelf life with no refrigeration required, and are disposable.

Yet, these juice boxes are an environmental disaster.They hold an average of eight ounces, have multi-layer packaging made of waxed paper, plastic barriers and metal insulation. These layers are extremely difficult to separate and are nearly impossible to recycle except in a laboratory environment.

In addition to the environmental costs, you will pay more money for convenience.

Juice pouches are not recyclable.

Juice pouches are polyester-reverse side printed to aluminum then laminated to polyethylene (a plastic polymer). Like the juice boxes, the elements are too hard to separate.

It is recommended to purchase juice in bulk, in large glass or metal containers, and use a thermos when packing lunches.

Aluminum soda cans are highly recyclable and should always go in a recycling bin. It takes aluminum about 500 years to break down in the environment.



29 of 40

Homemade LunchesStudents have their own reasons for leaving things behind -- some feel too rushed to finish meals during brief lunch periods, some don't like the food, some don't think to reuse those sealable bags, some just feel embarrassed about the food they have.

According to the survey, 21 percent of 7 - 8 year olds say they never eat anything from their lunchboxes.

The research found that apples were usually the first item of food to go in the bin, and 73 percent of kids swapped their lunchbox contents regularly with friends. However, 54 percent of parents thought that their kids wouldn't dream of swapping their food or throwing it away.

With the cost of school dinners set to rise, lunchboxes are still an economical solution to school lunches. However, the research indicates that children might not always like what is put in their lunchboxes.

Interestingly 78 percent of children said they would eat the food in their lunchboxes, if they could help prepare it!

At lunch time children go into the cafeteria, throw open their lunchboxes, take a bite or two out of their sandwiches, nibble on a carrot, possibly pop a strawberry into their mouths, maybe think to open their water bottle--and then rush off to recess.

While I stood over the compost bin and the garbage can and helped kids sort their waste lunches beautifully prepared by their parents, I was shocked to see the number of perfectly packaged food thrown away.

Some children put their uneaten food back in their boxes but many were tossing their sandwiches, sushi rolls, bags of chips, bananas, crackers, cheese sticks, and apples.

I commented on the waste to the ladies who oversee lunch duty and all agreed that it's terribly upsetting.

Thousands of parents are wasting money on food for their childrenʼs lunchboxes, which they never eat, according to a survey commissioned by a cheese manufacturer and BBC, and my own research proved it as well.

Two out of three children do not eat everything in their lunchboxes.



30 of 40

National School Lunch ProgramLaunchedin1946asapublicsafetynet,ithasturnedouttobeapoorinvestment.Itshouldberedesignedtomakeourchildrenhealthier.

Undertheprogram,theUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculturegivespublicschoolscashforeverymealtheyserve—$2.57forafreelunch,$2.17forareduced‐pricelunchand24centsforapaidlunch.In2007,

theprogramcostaround$9billion,afigurewidelyacknowledgedasinadequatetocoverfoodcosts.Butwhatmostpeopledon’trealizeisthattheFoodServiceDepartmentissupposedtobeselfsuppor<ng,sothismoneyandanymoneyraisedgoestowardsnotonlyfoodbutequipment,wages,medicalandrepairs.

Ontopofthesereimbursements,schoolsareen<tledtoreceivecommodityfoodsthatarevaluedataliSleover20centspermeal.Schoolsalsogetperiodic,addi<onal“bonus”commodi<esfromtheU.S.D.A.,whichpaysgoodmoneyforwhatisessen<allyexcessfrombigAmericanfoodproducers.

Alunchmustincludeatleastthreemenuitems.Oneofthosemenuitemsmustbeanentree,andonemustbe2luidmilkasabeverage,andasidedish.Allmenuitemsorfoodsofferedinalunchcontributetothenutritionstandardsandtothelevelsofnutrientsandcaloriesthatmustbemet.

InordertoreceiveareimbursementfromtheUSDA,thestudentneedstotakeaminimumofanytwoitems.Theproblemwiththisisthatevenifthechildmightnotbeveryhungry,doesn'tlikefruitorvegetables,ordoesn'thaveenoughtimetodrinkor2inishthefoodonthetrayduringrecess,theyareaskedtotaketwoitemsortheschoolwon'tgetreimbursedforthatmeal.

Forthatreason,fruitandmilkarethemostcommonlunchitemsthrownintothetrashentirelyorpartiallyeaten.

FlawsCrea<ngUnnecessaryWaste

Forhealthissues,itemsthatweresoldoncecannotbeputbackintothekitchenforanotherchild.

Milkcannotbeoutofthefridgeformorethanafewhours,sotheycan'ttakethemback.

Parents and teachers should support the Food Service program so we the school may stay self supporting and not have to go in to the district general fund. Parents should contact their government officials urging that reimbursements should be given no matter how much a child puts on the lunch tray, as long as the lunches are still meeting the standards set by the USDA and a complete healthy meal is being offered.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Lunch/



31 of 40

For Parents - Education Starts at Home

Educa<onisthefirststepinthetransi<ontoawaste‐freelunch.Talktoyourchildrenaboutwhytheschoolhasdecidedtoins<tuteawaste‐freelunchprogram.Providethemwithage‐appropriateinforma<onaboutthenega<veimpactofadisposablelunch.Belowisalistofsugges<onsthatwillhelpbuildcommunica<onandfosterunderstanding.

• Teachchildrenaboutrecyclingathome.Encouragethemtohelpseparatetherecyclablesfromthenon‐recyclables.

• Whenyouchoosenottobuyanexcessivelypackageditem,pointitouttoyourchildrenandaskiftheycanthinkofsomeearth‐friendlypackagingalterna2ves.

• Ifpossible,takeatriptoyourlocallandfillorrecyclingfacility.• Findbooksonwastereduc2onatyourlocallibraryorbookstore.Readthemtogetheranddiscusshow

theseissuesrelatetoyourlives.• Discusswherefoodscomefromandhowmuchprocessingoccursbeforetheygettoyourtable.• Searchyourlocal,preferablyused,bookstoreforsomegoodhealth‐orientedcookbooks,includingsome

withlargecolorphotographsthatyoucansharewithyourchildren.Readthemtogether,lookatthephotographs,andaskyourchildrentoshowyouwhichrecipestheyfindmostappealing.Makeashoppinglisttogether,buythenecessaryingredients,andgivetherecipesatry.PacktheleCoversforlunch.

• Whenea2ngout,favorrestaurantsthatusereusableplates,cups,andutensils.Talkwithyourchildrenaboutwhyyou'remakingthatchoice.

• Ifyoudon'tfinishyourrestaurantmeal,takeithomeinareusablecontainerthatyou'vebroughtfromhomeinsteadofusingthedisposablecontainerthatrestaurantsoffer.

Source:www.wastefreelunches.org

Tips for Reducing Your Workload

• If you don't do so already, try packing lunches the night before and keeping them in the refrigerator overnight.

• Make your children responsible for adding the ice pack and placing their own lunchbox near the door or in the car.

• Teach your older children how to make nutritious, waste-free lunches and then let them make their own lunches.

• Older children can also be responsible for washing their reusable lunch containers or rinsing them and putting them in the dishwasher.

• Children of all ages can take responsibility for putting recyclables in the recycle bin.



32 of 40

For Parents - Reducing Food Waste


Cut up fruits and vegetables. Children often take 1 or 2 bites out of an uncut apple or banana and throw the rest away. To avoid this, pack cut-up fruits and vegetables in a reusable container. Your child can take a few bites and save the rest for later.

Pack drinks in reusable containers. Children cannot reseal juice boxes, cans, or pouches. Often they drink half (or less) and throw the rest away. To get the most out of your money, buy drinks in larger

containers. Send a small amount to school in a reusable container. (Recycle the bottle at home.) Remember, children need plenty of water, so consider making water your beverage of choice.

Encourage your children to help plan, prepare and pack their own lunches. They're more likely to eat a meal that they've helped prepare. Involvement in meal preparation also teaches them where their food comes from, and it provides them with the confidence and skills they will need to prepare food for themselves later in life. Younger children can cut fruit or make their own trail mix from a selection of healthy items such as raisins, dried apricots, sunflower seeds, whole-grain cereals, and pumpkin seeds.Before offering your children an afterschool snack,

request that they finish their lunch. How many times have you given them a snack and then dumped the contents of their lunch box into the trash? Ask your child to bring home lunch leftovers.

Looking at leftover lunches is a great way to get information about your children's lunch preferences. Find out why certain foods have come back uneaten. Did your child not like it? Was she not hungry enough to eat everything in the lunchbox? Was there a birthday celebration at school that day? Did she share someone else's lunch instead? Maintain a dialogue without criticizing. Consider making a list of foods that your child likes to eat for lunch and update it regularly with input from your child.



33 of 40

Cost Comparison Waste Free Lunch

1eggsaladsandwich 1.25

1yogurt .85

1granolabar .45

1apple .30

1packageofcarrotsanddip .65

3plas2cbags .12

1juicepouch .35

1plas2cspoon .04

1papernapkin .01

TOTAL $4.02

DISPOSABLELUNCH

1eggsaladsandwich 1.25

1servingofyogurt .50

1servingofgranola .35

1apple .30

1servingofcarrotsanddip .25

Water 0

Clothnapkin 0

Stainlesssteelspoon 0

Packaging 0

TOTAL $2.65

WASTE‐FREELUNCH

DISPOSABLELUNCH(perchild) WASTE‐FREELUNCH(perchild)

$4.02 $2.65

$20.10/Week $13.25/Week

$635.16/SchoolYear(158days) $418.07/SchoolYear(158days)

Savings$216.46perchild/year




34 of 40

In School - Reducing Waste

Start at the beginning: reduce what is provided for lunch.

While free-choice salad bar offerings are an excellent idea, kids often take more than they can eat in one sitting. Signs and classroom guidance can help everyone remember to "take what you want, but eat what you take."

Pass it on: have a "no thanks" table.

Anything brought from home that is unopened, such as yogurt cups, bags of chips, granola bars, applesauce cups and the like can be dropped off at a "no thanks" table where other kids can find something they like. Although there are some issues such as allergy concerns and the stigma associated with "the used food table," they are not insurmountable.

Food left over at the end of each day would be welcomed at a shelter or food bank.

Tackle the tabletop culture: use reusable containers.

It has been observed that when a sack lunch is packed in baggies and disposables, any leftover food - like a whole sandwich - is seen as disposable, just like the containers it came in. The same holds true for prepackaged foods, like chips, crackers or cookies in single-serve bags. However, when lunch is packed in reusable containers, uneaten food is returned to the container and put back in the lunchbox. This has several immediate and valuable benefits: first, based on the quantities that come home after school, portions can be adjusted accordingly. Second, if there is any leftover food, it usually becomes a ready-made after-school snack (assuming the lunchbox has an ice pack to keep everything fresh until mid-afternoon).

Schools should consider investing in washable cups and a milk dispenser

This will help eliminate the single-use cartons and reduce the wasted milk.

Children rarely drink the full eight ounces of milk that is provided, resulting in additional waste.

This also has its own issues, one of which is the time necessary to wash the cups after use. Again, this isn't insurmountable, but may only be a shift in behavior away from stocking the refrigerated milk case to handling the washing of cups. Students themselves can fill the dishwasher trays as well.

Invest in reusable trays, utensils and napkins dispensers.

The accumulated expenses for trays and utensils can cover the cost of a dishwasher in a few years. Also consider using napkin dispensers and monitoring the number of napkins taken by students. Most children do not use the napkins provided in the plastic container, so it would be better to bring a cloth napkin from home.



35 of 40

In School - Reducing Waste

Address the school culture: have recess before lunch.

Many schools report that cafeteria time is frequently cut short because kids are in a rush to go to recess. The result is that many kids never eat at all, and spend the afternoon hungry and unable to concentrate.

Several school districts throughout the U.S. have implemented a reverse strategy: kids go directly to recess for their mid-day break, after which they return to the cafeteria for lunch, where they stay until it's time to return to the classroom.

Reports from Montana schools indicate that "recess before lunch" programs improved student behavior on the playground, in the cafeteria, and in the classroom and resulted in less wasted food.

One middle school reported a 50% drop in "plate waste" (food thrown away), and a decrease of 60% in disciplinary actions related to the lunchroom over a three year period. The teachers also reported better concentration and more effective time management with the recess before lunch program.

Finish at the end: offer composting.

Some food waste is just that - inedible parts, like banana peels, eggshells and coffee grounds

Many schools have introduced compost bins to help manage these leftover bits, often in association with school garden projects.

As with any change, the usual guidance applies: find advocates among the school staff and parents; research where similar strategies have been attempted and consider whether the results would apply at your own school; consider how every step in a new program might impact classroom time, staff time, and staff resources; and communicate, communicate, communicate to students, parents, teachers, and staff.

Schools are embracing, and teaching, a refreshing environmental message, but they could drive that message home if they applied it to the simplest of everyday activities such as eating lunch. By reducing food and food packaging waste, families and schools alike save money both by reducing the loss of good food to landfills and by avoiding having to pay for its disposal. In today's budget-conscious home and school economic conditions, this is not insignificant.



36 of 40

Our Choice - Our World - Their Future

Wehavechoices.WecanchoosetonotpayaSen<ontotheconsequencesofourlifestyle,orwecanstartbeingpartofthesolu<onandlivewithrespectandreverenceforallthattheworldhastooffer.

MahatmaGandhisaid:"Bethechangeyouwishtoseeintheworld."Beingthechangeyouwishtoseeintheworldstartswithtakingfullresponsibilityforeverythingthatishappeninginyourlifeandthelivesofthegenera<onstocome.

Asparentsandteachers,weneedtoeducateourchildrenabouthowourover‐consump<onandwasteisaffec<ngourplanet,animalsandthewaywelive,asmuchasthelivesofthosepeople,thousandsofmilesaway,whoprovidethethingsthatwesoeasilytakeforgranted.

Weareshapingthefutureofourchildren.Bychoosingamoreethicallifetoday,theywillthankusforbeingpartofthechangesthatmadetheirworldabeSerplace.



37 of 40

Book Recommendations

Susan E. Linn

Fred Pearce

Ellis Jones,Ross Haenfler, and

Brett Johnson

John Robbins

Consuming Kids: The hostile takeover of childhood.

Confessions of an Eco Sinner: Travels to Find Where My Stuff Comes from

A Better World Handbook: small changesthat make a big difference.

The Food Revolution: How your diet cansave your life and our world.

Zoe WeilMost Good, Least Harm: A simple principle for a better world and a meaninful life.



38 of 40

Useful Links

CaliforniaEduca<on‐SchoolLunchProgram hSp://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/nslp.asp

FoodProduc<onDaily hSp://www.foodproduc<ondaily.com/

EPA‐FoodWaste hSp://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/organics/food/index.htm

WastedFood‐Verycomprehensiveandinteres<ngblog hSp://www.wastedfood.com/

HungerSolu<ons www.hungersolu<ons.org

MomGoesGreen www.mongoesgreen.com

WasteFreeLunches www.wastefreelunches.org

LaptopLunches www.laptoplunches.com

HealthySchoolsNetwork hSp://www.healthyschools.org/

EatWellGuide www.eatwellguide.org

TheGreenSchoolsini<a<ves www.greenschools.net

EthicalConsumer www.ethicalconsumer.ort

FairTradeLabelingOrganiza<on www.fairtrade.net

GlobalFootprintNetwork www.footprintnetwork.org

EPA‐Water www.epa.gov/water/index.html

WaterFootprint www.waterfootprint.org

CenterforFoodSafety www.centerforfoodsafety.org

EatLessMeat www.eatlessmeat.org

FactoryFarming‐HumaneSocietyoftheUSA www.hsus.org/farm

FoodandAgricultureOrganiza<onoftheUnitedNa<ons www.FAO.org

UnionofConcernedScien<sts www.ucsusa.org

WorldHealthOrganiza<on www.who.org

WorldwatchIns<tute www.worldwatch.org

BoSledWaterBlues www.boSledwaterblues.com



39 of 40

Hazardous Waste Disposal - San Francisco Bay Area

Alameda County• Recycling Hotline (TOLL-FREE) (877) STOPWASTE• Home Composting Information Hotline (510) 444-SOIL• Household Hazardous Waste (800) 606-6606

Contra Costa County• Recycling (925) 335-1225• Household Hazardous Waste (800) 750-4096

Marin County• Recycling (415) 499-6647• Household Hazardous Waste (415) 485-6806

Napa County• Recycling (707) 257-9292• Household Hazardous Waste (800) 984-9661

San Francisco City & County• Recycling (415) 554-6193• Household Hazardous Waste (415) 554-4333

San Joaquin County• Recycling & Household Hazardous Waste (209) 468-3066

San Mateo County• Recycling (888) 442-2666• Household Hazardous Waste (650) 363-4718

Santa Clara County• Recycling (800) 533-8414• Home Composting (408) 918-4640• Household Hazardous Waste (408) 299-7300

Solano County• Recycling & Household Hazardous Waste (707) 421-6765

Sonoma County• Recycling & Household Hazardous Waste (707) 565-3375

State of CaliforniaCalifornia Integrated Waste Management Board• Recycling Hotline (916) 341-6000• California Materials Exchange (CALMAX) (877) 520-9703• Department of Conservation Recycling Hotline (800) 732-9253

Source: www.stopwaste.org

Producedby

ProvokarePresenta<ons

For presentations and speeches contact:

Provokare PresentationsRoberto Giannicolawww.provokare.com

CopyrightsProvokarePresenta2ons‐RobertoGiannicola

School Lunch Waste

Documents

Transcript of School Lunch Waste