Sustainable Steps

By CMC Consultant – Martin Harridence

World Environment Day is the biggest international day for the environment and aims to promote global awareness and action on environmental issues, such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. It is celebrated by millions of people across the world every year on June 5th, and this day holds significant importance for schools for several reasons. It provides a dedicated opportunity to educate students about pressing environmental issues such as climate change, pollution (air, water, plastic), and the importance of sustainability.

World Environment Day can inspire schools and students to take noticeable steps towards sustainability, such as reducing waste, increasing recycling, conserving energy and water, and promoting biodiversity within the school grounds.

By actively participating in World Environment Day, schools can empower the next generation to become a more environmentally conscious nation who are equipped to protect the planet for a sustainable future. Your school catering plays a crucial role because food systems have a significant environmental impact.

Sustainable Menus

The government-backed Eatwell Guide recommends consuming a diet with less meat and higher amounts of plant-based foods. Along with the nutritional benefits, such diets offer environmental benefits by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and land use associated with meat production. Menus that feature plant-based options are generally speaking better for the environment, compared to menus that heavily feature animal products, especially red meat and dairy.

Having said that, please be mindful of where some these plant-based foods come from, as some plant-based foods can still have negative environmental impacts due to various factors. Foods like avocados for example can have a significant carbon footprint due to the large amounts of water used during the growing process and the long distances in their transportation from different parts of the world, using fuel and energy for refrigeration. Whenever possible, choose sustainably sourced, minimally processed, and UK grown foods to further minimise the environmental impact.

Promote ” Meat-Free Mondays” and other days dedicated to fully vegetarian or vegan menus which normalise and celebrate plant-based eating.

Feature seasonal produce – Where possible, plan menus around UK grown fruits and vegetables that are in season locally.

Get creative with leftovers – Develop recipes that can utilise leftover ingredients safely and creatively.

By embracing these principles and strategies, schools can create menus that are not only delicious and nutritious but also contribute to a healthier planet for current and future generations, aligning perfectly with the goals of World Environment Day.

Food Waste

School catering can generate substantial food waste, from preparation waste to uneaten meals, World Environment Day provides an opportunity to highlight the environmental consequences of food waste, such as greenhouse gas emissions from decomposition in landfills. Hopefully by now, any food waste generated by the school is being collected and disposed of separately, in line with the new Simpler Recycling government legislation. For more details, please refer to the recent CMC Food Waste & Recycling Focus that was published earlier this year. Recording and monitoring food waste can help identify areas for improvement and set reduction targets.

Accurate portioning also helps reduce your environmental impact. Wasting food also means wasting resources, and by reducing that waste, schools can contribute to a greener planet. Reduce plate waste by providing appropriate portion sizes, especially for younger pupils. Offer the option for students to take seconds if they are still hungry. Implement proper food storage and train staff on best practices for storing food to extend its shelf life.

Reducing Packaging Waste

Schools produce a huge amount of waste, and single-use packaging is a major contributor. This fills up landfills quickly, leading to land scarcity and potential pollution of soil and groundwater. Single-use packaging has a considerable carbon footprint, from raw material extraction and manufacturing to transportation and disposal. This is a major contrib uting factor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Single-use packaging items lik e wrappers, straws, and cutlery often end up as litter in school grounds and the wider community, harming the environment and requiring additional resources for cleanup. Use World Environment Day as a platform to highlight the need to minimise packaging waste.

Energy Usage

School kitchens are significant energy consumers, whether this be cooking equipment, refrigeration, dishwashing machines, hot holding equipment, ventilation, lighting or other small appliances. By implementing a combination of the following, schools can significantly reduce energy consumption in their kitchens, leading to a reduced environmental impact as well as lower utility bills.

Implement a Switch-Off Policy – Train staff to turn off all equipment (ovens, hobs, fryers, ventilation, lights, small appliances) when not in use, especially at the end of shifts.

Conduct Energy Audits – Regularly assess energy usage to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement. Involve kitchen staff in this process.

Educate and Engage Staff – Provide training on energy-saving practices and the importance of reducing consumption. Encourage them to be mindful of their energy use.

Promote Awareness – Use signs and labels to remind staff to switch off equipment and conserve energy.

Invest in Energy-Efficient Appliances – Look for high energy ratings when purchasing new ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, etc. Consider induction hobs, which are more energy-efficient than traditional electric or gas.

Use the Right Equipment for the Job – Match pot and pan sizes to heating elements. Use lids to retain heat while cooking. Use microwaves for reheating smaller portions.

Only Preheat When Necessary – Many modern appliances heat up quickly. Avoid turning them on at the start of the day if not needed immediately. Batch Cooking – Cook larger quantities at once when possible to reduce overall cooking time.

Optimise Cooking Times – Invest in newer ovens that may cook faster. Turn off equipment immediately after use. For electric hobs, turn off the heat a few minutes before food is fully cooked as they retain heat.

Efficient Dishwashing – Only run the dishwasher with full loads and use the ” eco” setting if available. Reduce drying times and allow residual heat to finish the process.

Proper Use of Refrigeration – Set temperatures correctly (too low increases costs). Ensure doors are properly sealed and not left open. Defrost freezers regularly to maintain efficiency.

Manage Hot Holding – Switch on hot trolleys and dishwashers closer to service time rather than at the start of the day.

Ending Plastic Pollution

This years theme for World Environment Day is “Ending P lastic Pollution” and schools can play a vital role in raising awareness and taking action. A significant portion of singleuse packaging is made of plastic, which can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. It breaks down into microplastics, which can contaminate soil, water sources, and even enter the food chain, posing risks to wildlife and potentially human health.

Swap to Reusables

Replace single-use plastic bottles and food containers with durable, reusable alternatives. You could promote a discount on loose foods or put a ‘plastic tax’ on any pre-packed food served in plastic to encourage taking options with no plastic packaging. You could also reward students that bring their own reusable containers for ‘takeaway’ style food. Encourage reusable water bottles if you are able to provide alternative refill stations or water fountains. If selling drinks, opt for cartons or recyclable aluminium cans.

Schools should be promoting the use of reusable options for cutlery, plates, cups and food containers, and students should be encouraged to bring their own reusable items from home.

An effective recycling system for unavoidable packaging should be in place throughout the whole school (again, as per the government’s Simpler Recycling scheme)

Bulk Buying

Use bulk condiments (ketchup, mayonnaise, etc.) rather than using sachets, and give explanations for the switch. Bulk condiments are generally more environmentally friendly than individual sachets because they reduce packaging waste and can be more easily recycled or reused. Sachets often contribute significantly to plastic pollution and are not always recyclable. What can you do to raise aw areness on World Environment Day?

Single-use Plastic Audit

Visually displaying the amount of plastic waste generated by your school catering operation can be a very effective way to raise awareness. You could do a waste display to show how much single-use plastic is used on an average day. Gather all of the plastic waste (plastic bottles, containers, wrappers, etc.) from a day, weigh it and have it on display in a cage or something similar. Use information signs to show how much was used in a day and the carbon footprint associated with this, and what this would be over a week, a month and a whole year.

The average carbon footprint of 1kg of single-use plastic in the UK is approximately 1.58 kg CO2e. This is the equivalent to driving 5 miles. The emissions are associated with the production, use, and disposal of single-use plastic items.

Display this collection in a high-traffic area like the school dining room or the school entrance hall.

Energy Audit

A good way to get your catering teams engaged on the day is to get them to carry out an energy audit in the kitchen and other catering areas. Think about some of the above points around energy use.

This would also be the perfect opportunity to talk through the Environment Toolbox Talk on Tracker.