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Canadian school children who eat a disposable lunch – e.g., a Lunchable plus fruit juice or soda – generate about 67 lbs. of packaging waste in a school year. That adds up to 1,625 lbs. a year for a class of 25. To battle this problem, school boards are increasingly introducing “litterless lunch” policies that encourage parents to pack home-made sandwiches wrapped in cloth or reusable waxed paper, stainless-steel lunchboxes, and drinks in thermos flasks. It helps solve the waste problem, and saves families money. Parents can save over a dollar a day by sending their kid to school with a sandwich, a reusable water bottle, and fresh fruit or yogurt.
"With Litterless Lunches, Canadian Schools Try To Get Parents To Pack Zero-Waste Meals", Fast Company, September 16, 2016
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Three multinational food and personal care companies that are among the pillars of the global sustainability movement have dropped a Malaysian palm oil producer because it lacks a sustainability plan. Mars, Kellogg, and Unilever have all rejected IOI Group as an approved supplier until it comes up with an approved plan. IOI is one of the 10 largest suppliers of palm oil, a key ingredient in countless personal care and food products. The company has been accused of being a major contributor to deforestation in Indonesia. It is expected that delisting IOI as an approved palm oil supplier will have a major impact on the Malaysian economy.
"How Sustainable Procurement Supports Business", Business Daily, September 18, 2016
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A coalition of executives from European governments, businesses, international organizations, and others has issued a report citing progress in reducing food waste but calling for greater efforts to cut it in half globally by 2030. That is the goal of the coalition, known as New Champions 123, which says food loss and waste worldwide are responsible for $940 billion in economic losses and eight percent of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Eighty-eight million tons of food are wasted each year in the European Union, an amount that could feed 200 million people. Among the Europe-based participants in Champions are executives of Tesco, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Nestlé, Sodexo Group, and Unilever.
"Europe Makes Progress on Reducing Food Waste but More Work Needed Worldwide", News release, Tesco PLC, September 22, 2016
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Despite what the coffee pod machine makers say, single-serve pods are not recyclable, according to Mother Jones editor Maddie Oatman. True, they are made from recyclable materials. But most recycling facilities can’t handle them because they are too small. The beverage division of Mars Inc., for example, claims its own machines use newly designed pouches, dubbed "freshpacks," helped it achieve its sustainability goal by reducing its carbon footprint by 31 percent. But “thirty-one percent from what?” asks Oatman. The company doesn’t say.
"There Is No Such Thing as a "Sustainable" Coffee Pod", Mother Jones, September 27, 2016
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McDonald’s has enlisted the help of Conservation International in reaching a goal of serving only sustainable coffee by 2020. The goal is a nod to the growing interest among consumers in knowing where their food comes from. But there’s a practical consideration as well: to make sure it has a sufficient supply of high-quality coffee for the long run. Helping coffee farmers furthers that goal. Conservation International’s mission is to transform the coffee industry, which has been under stress because of climate change and fungal disease. Sustainability is a key part of that mission.
"McDonald’s Is Moving to Sustainable Coffee in Latest Menu Change", Bloomberg Market, October 05, 2016
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