During lunchtime, you're probably more worried about whether your mom packed you a bologna sandwich for the fourth time instead of what the sandwich came wrapped in, but there are plenty of reasons to consider your sandwich bag! In fact, it has been estimated that one kid makes 67 pounds of waste every school year by throwing lunch packaging away. That makes 18,760 pounds of trash for just one average school! In Earth terms, that's cause for a stomachache. Luckily, there are a lot of ways you can use less junk to pack your lunch:

• Pack lunches and snacks in reusable lunchboxes rather than in paper or plastic bags.
• Instead of using plastic bags, plastic wrap, wax paper or aluminum foil, pack food in reusable containers.
• Try not to bring food that comes in its own small package, like single servings of chips. Instead, have your parents buy foods in large amounts and split up itthis uses less packaging and saves your parents money, too.
• Use stainless steel forks and spoons in place of plastic ones.
• Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
• Pack water in a refillable bottle instead of buying disposable juice boxes, pouches, or cans.

For more information on how to reduce waste from lunches in your school, visit www.wastefreelunches.org.

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