Schools Switching to Reusables
We were thrilled to have our first
UNH Sustainability Fellow!
Cassie Lefleur was awarded a University of New Hampshire Sustainability Fellowship to collaborate with volunteers across the state to produce a roadmap to reduce plastic overuse in schools and municipalities. Read a press release about Cassie here.
Resources
Cassie Lefleur produced this informational guide to support school cafeterias interested in switching from single-use plastic utensils and trays to reusables.
This handout shows that if you switch over to reusable stainless steel utensils and trays, you will significantly reduce the cost and the waste in your school.
The What, Why, Who, and How of saving money on reusables in schools - and it does not significantly impact staffing while helping the environment!
Podcast episode #139 (September 21, 2023) of The Indisposable Podcast from UpStream.
Focuses on how K-12 schools are re-learning reuse, featuring Sasha Palmer and Rebeca Salguero of Brookline Massachusetts Public Schools, and Ben Schleifer of the Center for Environmental Health Food Program. They examine why, how, and lessons learned implementing reuse in schools.
Resources:
Podcast episode #174 (November 21, 2024) of The Indisposable Podcast from UpStream.
Features Dr. Manasa Mantravadi, pediatrician and founder of the reusable foodware company Ahimsa®. The Conscious Cafeteria Report, produced by Upstream and Ahimsa, is the latest evidence-based study projecting the environmental and financial impact of switching to reuse in K-12 schools and making a case for transitioning away from single-use food ware to protect children's health.
Across geographies, demographics, and schools—reuse wins every time.
Resources:
AhimsaSchools.com - Stainless steel dishes for safer, smarter schools.
Reuse in Schools
Case studies and resouces for schools from UpStream
Infographic by Cindy Heath, Ten Towns Toolkit Leader from Cornish, NH with help from Christina Dubin from Portsmouth
PFASinFoodServiceGuide_Final.pdf