It rarely strikes us to consider just how much rubbish we actually produce in the course of a busy working week.  As the joy of a meal and a break from work is the only thing running through our minds at lunch time, many people are not aware that lunch is the time of the day that produces the most amount of rubbish.  Estimates show that on average a school-age child will produce 30 kg of rubbish over the course of a school year.  This is the equivalent to 8.5 tonnes of rubbish being produced by an average-sized junior school in the United Kingdom.  According to www.Edie.net, London alone produces around 236 tonnes of rubbish every lunch-time, which is enough to fill Trafalgar Square every week.  Similarly, calculations done by Waste Watch have estimated that in 2001, UK households produced the equivalent weight of 245 jumbo jets per week in packaging waste [1].  There are however numerous ways you can cut down on the rubbish of your lunch and at the same time also cut down your carbon footprint and your lunch expenses.  This is a simple guide on how to make your lunch box greener while also saving money.

The first thing you need to consider is storage.  Sturdy and washable containers are essential to replace plastic bags and the ever so popular aluminium foil.  Containers can be useful to store leftovers from previous night’s dinner, and many models can easily be put in the microwave.  That way you can heat up your food and have a nice warm meal.  Before buying any new containers, do have a look around your house to see whether you may already have any containers that you can use.  Generally, the more you can re-use, the greener you can consider your lunch box to be.  If you do not want to invest in new containers, one option is to simply re-use ice cream tubs [2].  If you, however, do feel the need to buy new containers, several options in brands exist.  We are all familiar with the traditional Tupperware containers, but there are also cheaper and simpler alternatives like GladWare or RubberMaid TakeAlongs.  It is important that you look for products that are BPA-free.  BPA or Bisphenol is a plastic additive that has been used for decades but has recently been deemed to have potential serious health risks [3] & [4].

The next step to a green lunch box is packaging.  Here, the most essential thing is to ditch the cling-film and aluminium foil.  Sandwiches can easily be wrapped in paper bags or grease proof paper.  These should be the biodegradable types which can be recycled or composted at the end of use.  Another option is to invest in re-sealable plastics sandwich bags.  Alternatively, the inner bags from breakfast cereals, vegetable bags and sugar and flour packaging make excellent packaging for your lunch box.

When it comes to utensils you’ll want to replace disposable plastic forks and spoons with reusable, washable utensils.  The easiest option is it to take some from home if you can spare them. If that is not a possibility then buy some cheap stainless steel utensils from a second hand shop or a flea market.  Your office may have a kitchen equipped with dish washer or a sink.  If the kitchen is not already fitted with the essential utensils encourage your colleagues to bring in extra mugs, plates and metal utensils for the office lunchroom.  That way, even if you do decide to buy a pizza or salad for lunch, you will not have to take paper plates and utensils from the restaurant.  Also, resist the temptation to bring paper napkins and instead get a napkin made of cloth.

No matter your preference of beverage it is time to dispose of plastic drinks with straws, cans and water bottles.  Instead, invest some money in a (water) canteen, which not only will keep your drink cool, but can be used multiple times throughout the day.  The more expensive types can also be used for hot tea or coffee after you have consumed your green lunch.

In addition to bringing leftovers from the day before, you may want to buy large bags of crisps in bulk.  Pack a small portion of crisps into one of your washable containers.  With regards to yoghurt, buy a large tub and spoon a single serving into another washable container instead of taking individual pre-packed yoghurts.  Additionally, loose granola in a container can replace pre-packaged granola bars.

If you have followed the above-mentioned guidelines the content of your lunch should shift from that of a typical British Lunch (A) to that of the Green Lunch Box (B).

Finally, it should be noted that changing to a green lunch box will also save you money.  Pre-packaged biscuits and cookies can use twice as much per ounce when bought in individual snack packs as opposed to larger bags.  According to Waste-Free Lunches [5] as green lunch box will cost 40% less to make than a lunch filled with pre-packaged food.  Over the course of a typical 180-day school year or a 24-day work year, there is a potential of saving $250 per child or 330$ per working adult (Note: These figures are based on an American study, and figures for the United Kingdom may differ).

There are probably a hundred other ways to improve your Green Lunch Box and this guide should be considered a very basic introduction.  The only limit to how green your lunch box can become is your imagination.

[1] http://www.easylunchboxes.co.uk/Waste_less.html

[2] http://www.carbonrally.com/challenges/24

[3] http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/bpa-more-dangerous-predicted

[4] http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/bpa-danger-from-cans.php

[5] http://www.wastefreelunches.org/what-is-a-waste-free-lunch-program.html#waste-free-lunch-cost