Switching K-12 schools to reusables in their cafeterias is a focus for many in the reuse movement: it’s a win-win-win for improving children’s health, educating and empowering the community around sustainability issues, and providing an impressive ROI for school administrators. That said, no change is easy, and barriers such as up-front funding, dishwashing, and staffing are real challenges. Thankfully, Amber Schmidt from ReThink Disposable and Ben Schleifer from Center for Environmental Health have hands-on experience in surmounting these barriers, and in this discussion they share some key insights for getting reuse into schools.

Enjoy this recording of the January Reuse Solutions Network meeting, and check out the resources below if you’d like to join the RSN yourself.

Resources: 

• Join the Reuse Solutions Network
• ReThink Disposable
• Center for Environmental Health
• Washington Post: Most US schoolchildren toss their lunch trays every day
• Case studies on reuse in schools
• More Indisposable Podcast episodes about reuse in schools

The Indisposable Podcast is brought to you by Upstream, which is a non-governmental organization. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to make sure these stories continue to be heard and the reuse economy continues to grow.