Replacing Lunch Baggies for Greener Schools

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It's easy to say that you will make a commitment to re-think the way you live and how it affects the environment.The harder part is taking action.Can I really make a difference?Where do I start?I have decided that it is go time for me.I am in the midst of my "implementation phase" and it feels fantastic.I know I can make a difference.As a result of green school, I have become much more aware of my actions and their impact on the planet.I love feeling empowered and inspired when another mom tells me that I what I am doing with green school is a step in the right direction and should have been done sooner.I am learning daily about new ways to respect and protect our environment.Lots to do!It is going to take time . . . small steps, right?

My beef is the baggie.There is an enormous amount waste from single use plastic sandwich bags in our schools.That being said, there are great strides being made with the boomerang and litterless lunch programs.It takes a certain skill set to get all those little containers into the lunch bag without it exploding at the seams.I just wish I could remember how I got it all to fit the day before.

Let's tackle the issue of plastic bags being used to bring money for school programs.Don't get me wrong, I was a baggie lover in the past.Especially when they came out with those little snack-sized ones!Then one day it hit me as I was putting my loonies into a baggie for pizza day.I began to think about the impact of 600+ students at our school also bringing money in a single use plastic bag.Each of those bags would go directly into the school garbage can and eventually to the landfill.Using envelopes, although recyclable, means more strain on our forests.I surely can't be the only mom thinking that there has to be a better way.Why isn't someone doing anything about this?

A little personal research has proven that there really is not much out there for this purpose that is both environmentally responsible and practical.I am all about practicality.Anyhow, I guess it was a call to action for me.It's my turn to step up and take some initiative.