Vision

Our Be the Change club is a group of students in grades 5-7 that focus on sustainability projects and making a positive change in our world. They work on local, national, and international projects that are aimed at environmental initiatives as well as social and community impact.

For this project, Be the Change was made aware of the school Parent Advisory Council (PAC) wanting to run hot lunch programs for our school. We are a UNESCO-affiliated school, which means that we are committed to reducing waste and being as sustainable as possible in our day-to-day lives. The school was reluctant to take on lunch programs due to the significant amount of waste created by single-use packaging. Be the Change wanted to find a solution where students could have the opportunity to have a hot lunch program available while maintaining our sustainability goals.

Action

Be the Change searched for a possible alternative to single-use packaging to offer to the PAC to move forward with a hot lunch program. In their research, they found wheat straw trays and bowls. Students were thrilled about this discovery as they learned that wheat straw is also a byproduct of wheat manufacturing, so they felt that this was an extra sustainable product.

After applying for the LSF grant, we purchased the trays and bowls for the school and presented them to the PAC. We have already used the trays and bowls for a spaghetti lunch fundraiser, and the pack are planning other lunches in the following weeks to utilize these new dishes.

Reflection & Celebration

This was an amazing opportunity for students to see how they can make an impact at a local community level. Our school has not had many hot lunch options due to the waste issue. Students and PAC have had the desire to have different lunch offerings like other schools in the area, but our commitment to waste reduction and sustainability has made it challenging. The purchase of these reusable dishes has opened the door to a variety of lunch options, whether they are provided to the students for special occasions or organized by PAC or classes for fundraising opportunities. The successful use of these dishes so far was met with enthusiasm from students, staff, and PAC. We are thrilled to be able to continue to offer this product and expand our lunch program in the future!