Did you know that the average student generates over 30 kg of throw-away garbage in a school year? Less packaging equals less waste!
Students in four local elementary schools are participating in a new environmental stewardship project to reduce the amount of throw-away garbage they produce and increase awareness of the impact of each person's actions on our environment.
During a six-week time frame, four classes in various schools have decided to try to reduce the amount of garbage they create, with a special effort on one garbage free lunch day per week. Baggies, plastic wrap, drink boxes, snack bar wrappers and other throw-away or non-reusable items are sorted into three categories, counted and graphed. The amount of garbage produced on the garbage free days is tallied, and a comparison will be made over the six weeks to see if any change has occurred. The goal is to make change, no matter how small, in the amounts of garbage generated. At the end of the six weeks, there will be class celebrations, with some items generously donated by Gibsons IGA, Kerns, Coast Reporter and the Upstairs and Downstairs Shop, to help students carry on with their garbage free lunches after the project time frame. Some classes have elected to promote garbage free lunches throughout the entire school. The garbage free lunch program is a joint sponsorship of the Sunshine Coast Community Foundation and Wild B.C. in Victoria. Dianne Sanford (Moonstone Enterprises), with the help of two students from Canada World Youth, has organized and is implementing the program with the schools. If you have questions about the program, call Sanford at 604-885-6283.
