Did you know that packing a disposable lunch creates about 30 kilograms of waste every school year? That means that you and 300 of your closest friends at school generate almost 9,000 kilograms of lunch garbage. That’s more than 700 bags every year – enough to stink up your gymnasium!

Switching to a smart or garbage free lunch will cut down on the waste in your schoolyard. It’ll also keep garbage from entering the environment and clogging landfills that are already full to the brim!

Let your family know that you plan on going litterless with your lunches. They’ll probably jump for joy when they learn that they’re usually cheaper than a pre-packed garbage-grubbing version!

Swap disposable forks and spoons, juice boxes and plastic bags for:

• Reusable containers, like Tupperware or stainless steel
• Fresh fruits and veggies (bonus, they come in their own wrappers!)
• Cloth napkins or napkins made from recycled material
• Stainless-steel forks and spoons
• Reusable drink containers
• A reusable lunchbox or bag

You can also get creative and design your own lunch bag out of cloth, or find an old-school tin lunchbox and decorate it up with stickers!

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.