Is your school kitchen planet friendly?

Stokes Wood Primary School, Wednesday, 10 May 2023
10 Detective KS1, KS2, KS3, KS4, KS5

What you did

8 Year 3 and 4 children attended a plastic clever schools conference. Before attending they conducted a plastic audit. It discovered that the school was throwing away numerous yogurt and ice cream pots into general waste each day at lunchtime. They spoke to the cook and site manager. They have put in bins for these specific items and at the end of lunchtime they wash the pots out and put them in the recycling bins. They told their peers about it in 2 assemblies.

Activity description

They say an army marches on its stomach and the same is true for schools. School lunchtimes and dinners are arguably one of the most important - and possible carbon intensive! - part of your day.

Food. Waste. Energy. Packaging. There are lots of opportunities here for your school to be planet-kind.

Find a good time to sit down with your kitchen staff and see how planet-friendly your school kitchen is. These questions will get you all started thinking about energy efficiency, food waste, carbon intensity of menu choices and other environmental issues. Food for thought!