Garbage-Free Lunch Contest

Lewis Rifkind

As the autumn leaves descend to the ground, there is but one thought in the conscience of the populace: thank goodness the kids are back in school.

Now that the little bundles of joy are safely ensconced in the institutions of learning they can continue their studies of reading, writing and arithmetic. But there are the other 3Rs. These are, of course, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

One of the most rewarding ways for children to practise the 3Rs in school is to participate in Raven Recycling's Garbage Free Lunch contest.

Not only does this program bring awareness to the 3Rs, it also rewards the top class in each school with a prize.

It could be argued that Raven is bribing children to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Well, manufacturers of lunch products (some of which are placed in excessive, non-recyclable packaging) are free to coerce kids to use their products. Except they don't call it coercion, they call it advertising.

Now how does the Garbage Free Lunch Program work?

Classes all over Whitehorse will be participating in this three-week long programme.

From October 15 to November 2 students will be asked to bring the least amount of garbage in their lunches.

Essentially, prizes are given to the classroom that generates the least amount of garbage during their lunch break.

A garbage free lunch earns 15 points per lunch. This means that nothing is placed in the garbage. Only reusable containers and compost is left over.

A recyclable lunch earns 10 points per lunch. At the conclusion of the recyclable lunch, there should be nothing in the garbage but there might be some things in the recycling bin.

Examples of recyclables include beverage containers (glass, tin, the dreaded tetrapaks, and aluminium), plastics that are accepted in the Yukon for recycling (#1, 2, 3 and 5), tinfoil and paper bags.

The final category is known as the landfill lunch. This lunch is a lunch that leaves garbage. Plastic bags, plastic wrap, wax paper and single-use wrappers (such as granola bars and fruit roll-ups wrappers) are all garbage. A landfill lunch is worth zero points.

It doesn't matter what size the classroom is as the points are prorated according to the number of students.

At the end of the three weeks, the points are added up, prorated according to the classroom size and the winners declared.

Last year, experiential prizes were awarded such as a day canoe trip, a visit to the Chocolate Claim (and the fabulous chocolate making room in the back), the Alpine Bakery to understand how bread is made, and a tour of the airport fire-fighting facilities.

This year the prizes are different - this year the prizes are cold, hard cash. The top class in each school will receive $100. On top of that, the top two classes in Whitehorse will receive an additional $100.

Of course, the real winner is the environment. Garbage free lunches at school will hopefully translate into garbage free lifestyles. And wouldn't that be a nice thing?

Lewis Rifkind is an employee of the Raven Recycling Society, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada.

The Garbage Free Lunch Program: Changing Lives, One Lunch At a Time

Bryna McKechnie

Does your back get sore carrying all those single serving juice boxes and yoghurt containers home with your groceries?

Do you find those overpackaged lunchables to be as offensive on your palate as they are on your wallet?

Is your love life suffering because your kids keep you awake complaining that there's too much garbage in their lunches?

Fear not, Raven Recycling is here to help.

For the last month, we have been putting your kids through an intensive Garbage Free Lunch program designed to put a stop to all that trash invading student lunches.

In just 20 school days and a couple of lifetime follow-ups, over 1200 kids in Whitehorse have learned that bringing a Garbage Free Lunch is not only possible, it's easy!

How easy is it, you ask? Well, just follow this simple 3-Step Program and you too will lose weight (in your grocery bag and on the bill); find new love (of the earth and your healthy children); and live free (of garbage and its polluting effects).

Step one is accepting that there is garbage in your kids' lunches. To misquote the infamous Dr. "Tell-It-Like-It-Is" Phil on Oprah, "you've got to get real on garbage, or garbage is going to get real on you!"

All of those plastic bags, single serving puddin' pops, individually wrapped snack bars are all garbage and inevitably end up in the landfill. Avoiding these products on the shelves of the grocery store is a preemptive strike on garbage at the lunch level.

Step two is to seek out new and inventive ways to send your kids to school without garbage. Try this sure-fire recipe guide to get you started:

The Garbage Free Lunch recipe includes: one lunch kit (or cloth lunch bag); one thermos or refillable drink container; three reusable containers of various sizes (recommended sizes include one sandwhich sized container, and two snack sized containers); and food bought in bulk.

Step three is to keep it up! We know it's hard to compete with all of those flashy fruit roll-up ads and pizza pop pushers, but there is help out there. With the help of Raven Recycling, committed Whitehorse teachers and of course your child, you'll find that Reducing, Reusing and Recycling has never been easier.

Just ask the participating classes at Jack Hulland, Holy Family, Elijah Smith, Emile Tremblay, Selkirk, Christ the King, Golden Horn, and Whitehorse Elementary. For the month of February classes in these schools vied for prizes by tallying up points for their Recyclable and Garbage Free Lunches.

A Recyclable Lunch, worth 10 points, consisted of only recycled products (such as pop cans, bottles, and recyclable plastics). No garbage was allowed to be generated.

A Garbage Free Lunch, worth 15 points, consisted of only reusable containers and food waste that was composted within the school. No garbage was allowed to be generated by this lunch as well.

To win prizes such as canoe lessons, cloth shopping bags and trips to local points of interest (like the Chocolate Claim and Swan Haven), each class had to think garbage free.

And there it is folks...thinking Garbage Free. It's not so easy when you're surrounded by overpackaged non-recyclable items, but it can be done. It's just 3 easy steps.

You're kids are doing it, so how about you?

What are you waiting for? Call today and find out how you too can be Free....Garbage Free!

Raven Recycling would like to thank all of the teachers and administrators who made this revolutionary Program such a success in our schools.

We would also like to thank the drama students from Ms. Fisher's grade 10 class (F.H. Collins) and Ms. Estabrook's 8 class (Porter Creek Secondary). These young thespians went from school to school dramatizing the effects of a trashy lunch. They did a tremendous job and deserve a great big hand.

Clap clap clap clap!

Bryna McKechnie is an employee of the Raven Recycling Society, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada.