The Reuse Revolution at Greenwich Public Schools is in jeopardy, BUT YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! 

 

For over a decade, students, parents and community leaders have advocated for a sustainable alternative to styrofoam trays.  While the Board of Ed finally eliminated toxic styrofoam from school cafeterias, student lunches are now served on single-use, disposable molded fiber trays.  These wares are expensive, wasteful and pedagogically dishonest and may put our children’s health at risk. There is a better solution - a reusable ware system!

 

  • EXPENSIVE: Each year, molded fiber trays and other disposable wares cost $62k to purchase, and another $39k is spent to dispose and incinerate this cafeteria waste.  In total, over $101k of taxpayers’ money is tossed in the trash every year – this is not fiscally responsible.
  •  WASTEFUL: Half a million non-recyclable trays are trashed and incinerated annually at a cost to taxpayers and the detriment of our soil and air quality.  A pilot at New Lebanon School proved that a reusable ware system can cut 80% of cafeteria waste.  It is time to stop our throw-away cafeteria culture.
  •  DISHONEST: The use of disposables teaches our students that wasteful behaviors are acceptable.  Instead of a throw-away cafeteria culture, GPS should model environmental sustainability and civic responsibility, values consistent with classroom lessons and the Vision of the Graduate
  • UNHEALTHY: Disposable wares can contain toxins, such as PFAS, associated with adverse health impacts.  Manufacturers are not required to disclose the chemical content of products or inform consumers of changes in formulation.  In an abundance of caution to our children’s health, GPS should replace disposables with safer reusable wares. 

 

For the next schools years we will still have single-use disposables trays. We will fight again in the next budget cycle in 2022-23. Thank you for your support!

 

Please contact Julie at wastefreegreenwich@gmail.com with any questions.

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