How Can Schools Reduce Waste & Be More Sustainable?

Unfortunately, schools produce a lot of waste in and out of the classroom every day which can have a negative impact on the environment. From worksheets and packaging to food waste and single-use supplies, every single thing a school uses can contribute to waste. 

It’s vital for schools across the UK to take action to be more sustainable and reduce their daily waste, helping to contribute to a greener future. However, with so many students and members of staff, it can be hard to achieve sustainability. It requires a lot of time, patience and effort to ensure that everybody is on the same page, from the children to the teachers. When everyone does their part, schools can reduce their waste significantly. Discover how schools can reduce waste and be more sustainable in easy, simple and small ways and put these tips into action to strive toward a greener school.

Reduce food waste

A massive contributor to school waste is food from the canteens. This is because staff in the canteens need to produce large batches of food to be able to feed every student and staff who needs it. Estimating how much food is needed is a tricky task as some days, it can be more people having food and other days, it can be much less. Due to this, huge quantities of leftover food end up in the bin, producing a whole lot of food waste.

One solution for this issue is to ask parents and staff who requires a meal and who are having packed lunches. This can be done at the start of every school year via online forms that are stored securely and easily accessed. Doing this allows schools to know how much food produce they need to purchase to cover everybody who needs a school meal. This prevents canteen staff from ordering way too much and wasting food. 

As well as this, schools can opt for smaller portion sizes when serving to reduce waste and send out surveys to gauge foods that are popular and ones that aren’t. This helps schools to understand student and staff preferences to ensure the meals that are offered will be eaten and enjoyed, leaving little waste behind. Schools can then donate any excess food they have to local food banks or community organisations to reduce waste and help the community.

Adapt deliveries to be more sustainable

When school supplies, food and other essential items get delivered, this can negatively affect the environment and even be a contributor to waste. This is through the method of transportation, packaging used on products and even the pallets every item is stacked upon. Schools need to assess their delivery methods and adapt them, changing methods or companies if needed. The way in which supplies and food are delivered needs to be efficient and less harmful to the planet. This could be ensuring the journey the products go on is a multi-transport method to reduce emissions. Schools can also use a transport company that uses recycled plastic pallets and packaging. Doing this can make a huge difference to school deliveries and help them be kinder to the planet.

Have accessible recycling bins

A great way to help reduce a school’s waste is to provide plenty of recycling bins that are accessible to everyone throughout the school. Having multiple bins to separate waste allows students and staff to be responsible for the disposal of their waste. Clearly label the bins for certain types of waste, such as cardboard and paper and bottles or plastic, so everyone can clearly see what needs to go where. This encourages the school to actively recycle so items such as plastic don’t end up in landfill as they can’t decompose well. 

Minimise paper waste

Every school uses a lot of paper every single day as it’s how most do their work and keep important paperwork and files. Sometimes, the use of paper can’t be helped in a school environment as worksheets are needed and exercise books, but there are ways to be more eco-friendly. A great thing to keep in mind when printing and using paper is if it is necessary. Think about what is being printed and used and if there are alternative ways to avoid paper waste. For example, if a school relies on paper forms this isn’t necessary anymore as these can all be done online instead, reducing paper waste while ensuring everything is safe and harder to lose. When paper is needed, try to use both sides of one sheet so less paper is required. 

Encourage reusable tools

Single-use tools are a prevalent issue in schools and are one of the main causes of excessive waste. These disposable items can cover many aspects of a school from single-use pens to plastic utensils and drink bottles. Instead of relying on these single-use tools, schools should seek reusable alternatives that are high in quality. These initially cost more upfront, but they are cheaper in the long run as they don’t need to be thrown away after every use. Instead, they can last for years to come, letting many students and staff reuse them over and over again. These items can be fountain pens with refill ink cartridges, recyclable plastic utensils or wooden/recycled plastic materials and refillable water bottles. These can be used in canteens too, providing canteen staff with long-lasting supplies that can be reused, cutting down their single-use materials.

Educate children

For children to fully understand the importance of sustainability and how they can do their part to contribute to less waste, schools need to educate children on sustainability and environmental consciousness. If everyone is educated on the toll of waste on our planet, then it encourages kids to strive for a low-waste future. Use assemblies to focus on the environmental impact of not disposing waste correctly. This can then be built upon in the classroom in a social studies curriculum and workshops. Doing this raises awareness and gives students the responsibility to actively partake in reducing waste, striving for a greener future.

Reducing waste in schools significantly aids the environment and also fosters a strong sense of school community. Implementing these strategies in schools can significantly reduce the waste produced every single day and put them on the right path toward a greener and sustainable future.