According to Amy Hemmert, the author of The Laptop Lunch User's Guide, “the average school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. That equals 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for just one average sized elementary school.”
Multiply that number by the amount of garbage the average office’s brown-baggers create and you’ll have a revolting lunchtime statistic. Juice boxes, plastic cutlery and Styrofoam are all culprits in creating waste that finds its way into a landfill.
Create a Litter-Free Lunch Environment
The first step in reducing the amount of garbage we create is to generate an environment that is aware of the problem. The conscientious brown-bagger can choose to lead by example, or start a small, local initiative within the office space, in making changes in the way we buy our lunch and discard the waste. Starting an office or school-wide Green Team to ban Styrofoam would be a good start.
What Makes a Litter-Free Lunch?
For those who are unsure what can be considered “trash” in a lunch bag or box, consider the eliminating the following items:
- Plastic cutlery
- Juice or tea boxes
- Tetra Pak containers. While such containers are touted as recyclable by the manufacturer, few recycling facilities in Canada have the resources to recycle them.
- Drinks or snacks in non-recyclable containers
- Single serving, pre-packaged and cellophane wrapped treats like cookies or rolled fruit
- Pre-packaged “Lunchables” style plastic contained cold cuts, crackers and cheese
- Styrofoam containers
- Plastic wrap like “Saran Wrap”
- Disposable bamboo skewers and chopsticks (they can be composted, but are often thrown out, instead.)
- Candies with plastic containers, or squeeze-tubes
Litter-free lunches are not hard, nor expensive to make. In fact, other than the initial purchase of a lunchbox, leak-proof bottle or thermos and some sandwich boxes, the cost is less over time than a single cafeteria lunch.
Economical and Waste Reducing Options for Lunch
Consider the following options for making a waste-free lunch: A few easy replacements can reduce the amount of trash in the average lunch bag, and save the brown bagger some cash.
- Instead of using plastic sandwich bags or cellophane, use re-usable sandwich sized plastic boxes.
- Don’t buy single use brown bags: Buy a sturdy lunch bag, tote or box that is easy to carry, and large enough. Some models even contain removable freezer-packs to ensure a safely chilled meal.
- Don’t use plastic cutlery, or disposable bamboo chopsticks: Keep a small set of re-usable cutlery or chopsticks at your desk. Be sure to wash them before and after storing, or just keep them in the lunch box.
- Pack fresh fruit instead of processed snacks.
- Instead of buying a cans, bottles or a box of juice, consider using a stainless steel re-usable bottle; some can even keep carbonated drinks fizzy if the seal is kept tight long enough. If you are buying a re-usable bottle for a child who prefers drinking from a straw, a BPA-free drinking bottle with flip-top, built-in straw may be a solution.
- Buy a thermos instead of take-out. It will cost less than buying several cafeteria soups or stews, and is likely healthier than anything you could buy.
- If you are buying lunch, ask for Stryrofoam or plastic-free options for take-out.
Some offices or schools might consider joining a Green Team Challenge; winning an award can be just the motivation needed to create change. It also generates an opportunity to educate and change some wasteful behaviour.
Try talking to your co-workers about starting a waste-free zone in your cafeteria. Appoint someone to monitor the recycling bins to ensure only recoverable items are in their proper bin, and set up a fun (waste-free) lunchtime session about reducing the amount of plastics in the trash. It all adds up!
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