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May 06, 2024

A plastic

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. School cafeterias are now being used to teach important lessons about reducing waste. A plastic-free school lunch movement is

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

School cafeterias are now being used to teach important lessons about reducing waste. A plastic-free school lunch movement is spreading across the country, teaching kids about the environmental impact of single-use plastic and empowering students to do something about it.

The idea originated a few years ago at P.S. 015 Patrick F. Daly Elementary School in Brooklyn, New York. School administrators partnered with a non-profit called Cafeteria Culture to change the way lunch is served, eliminating single-use plastic items like cutlery, cups, and wrapping, CBS News reports.

Plastic-free lunches often incorporate finger foods like pizza, bite-sized vegetables and fruit. Kids can request forks or spoons if they want them, but Cafeteria Culture has found that a single plastic-free day can keep hundreds of items out of landfills, and it helps children be more aware of an enormous issue.

"Taking action right in the cafeteria is a great way for them to feel that they're doing something real, and they are doing something real that's making a difference," said Debby Lee Cohen, the founder of Cafeteria Culture. “

What started at P.S. 015 has now spread to all 750 New York City elementary schools, which hold plastic-free lunches at least once a month. The concept has also been adopted coast-to-coast, with schools from more than two dozen cities joining in, CBS News reports.

"It's a really great example and shines a light for children across the country that kids can really lead on these issues," said Julie Cavanagh, the principal at P.S. 015.

Cafeteria Culture says that nationwide, schools serve more than 7 billion meals annually, so just being more mindful of single-use plastic can have a powerful impact. Cohen said that while some schools initially thought it would be difficult to implement the idea, they have quickly come around and discovered kids were enthusiastic about the idea.

"What we find is that people need to see change to believe that it's possible," said Cohen. "You talk to an 11-year-old. They know it's possible. And they are the clients of school food."

"What we find is that people need to see change to believe that it's possible," said Cohen. "You talk to an 11-year-old? They know it's possible. And they are the clients of school food."

At a recent plastic-free lunch at P.S. 015, the menu included mozzarella sticks, garlic bread, broccoli and orange slices. Students decorated the walls with banners and clearly consumed the lesson along with their lunch. "I feel like I would always just take one cup, throw it out, then use another, and then I realized it's stupid because I'm just wasting," said student Max Thompson.