"Zero Waste" Lunch Challenge Kicks Offs In Sauquoit
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: March 22, 2013
"Reduce, reuse, and recycle;" that was the theme at Sauquoit Middle
School this afternoon. The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority kicked
off its third annual "Zero Waste" Lunch Challenge for all schools in
Oneida and Herkimer counties. Coordinators say one child bringing a
disposable lunch to school every day creates nearly 70 pounds of lunch
waste per year. The challenge shows students how they can reduce the
amount of waste they produce each day.
"When you're able to teach the kids recycling and reducing waste at a young age, say the zero waste lunch, they can tie that into their other everyday behaviors. And as they grow up, it becomes just a natural behavior rather than an extra step or something extra that they have to do," says Jamie Tuttle, Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority recycling coordinator.
And Tuttle says all of the schools that participated last year, reduced their amount of cafeteria waste by over 50%.
"When you're able to teach the kids recycling and reducing waste at a young age, say the zero waste lunch, they can tie that into their other everyday behaviors. And as they grow up, it becomes just a natural behavior rather than an extra step or something extra that they have to do," says Jamie Tuttle, Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority recycling coordinator.
And Tuttle says all of the schools that participated last year, reduced their amount of cafeteria waste by over 50%.
