1 Reduce, reuse, recycle
The detritus of just one junior school pupil’s packed lunch generates a huge 30kg of waste per school year!
2 Get rid of unnecessary packaging
If you must wrap sandwiches, use recycled aluminium foil (£2.95 from www.ecotopia.co.uk) and then take it to your nearest aluminium recycling point. To find out where, visit www.alupro.org.uk
3 Opt for fresh foods
Instead of crisps, cereal bars, mini cheese portions and yoghurts, pack sandwiches, pasta salads, fresh fruit and home-made cake.
4 Use a refillable drink bottle
Reduce waste by saying no to throwaway juice cartons, one-a-day water bottles, cans or fruit pouches. Make sure you thoroughly clean the sports bottle after every use.
5 Invest in a lunch box
A good, insulated lunch box can be reused and is much greener than a carrier bag that gets thrown away after one use.
More natural parenting tips from Junior:
Five ways to make your child's school greener
Five ways to enjoy a country ramble
