Re: [greenyes] waste-free lunches

[Sharon_Gates@no.address]

GreenYes'rs:
As the parent of an 8-year-old, I share Roger's struggle.  There was a 
while where we were restocking our containers so frequently that I felt 
like I must be supplying the container needs of the households of all of 
my daughter's kindergarden.  After a few years of constant reminders, 
though, the situation has improved significantly -- the containers come 
home much more reliably now.  In the process, my husband and I seem to 
have somehow inculcated the composting mentality as well, as she brings 
home all her food scraps.  The best recent example of this was last week, 
when she brought home her apple core from the beach -- or course, 
completely encrusted in sand.

So keep up the struggle, Roger.  You never know when the recycling light 
will go on in a child's (or adult's) head.

Sharon Gates
Recycling Specialist
City of Long Beach, California
562/570-4694





"Roger Guttentag" <rgutten@no.address>
07/01/2003 08:48 AM

 
        To:     "Amy Hemmert" <mhemmert@no.address>, <greenyes@no.address>
        cc: 
        Subject:        Re: [greenyes] waste-free lunches


Dear Amy:

I think you are focusing on a very helpful issue - one that I struggle 
with
daily as a parent of a 7 year old.

(snip, snip)

First, I think you underestimate the significant obstacle of getting back
reusable containers and items.  Older children may be to handle this
responsibility but I believe that getting back reusable items reliably 
from
younger children is much harder.  I have lost a lot of reusable items and
the cost can add up quickly.  I am lucky to get back my cool packs.  I am
sure that lots of list subscribers will of course repond that they have
young children who have been trained from the age of 2 to return anything
that is reusable or recyclable.  My response is - that's great - consider
yourself fortunate.  I am convinced that my child does not have a 
retrieving
gene (and I know I am not alone in feeling this way) and , as most know
parents know, there are only so many fights you can have with your child 
at
any one time. However, this is a battle I plan to wage when she is older.
However, I would appreciate other parental insights into this particular
issue.

Second, there are times when I buy products in non-reusable / recyclable
packaging because they involve products that I want to support - usually
organic foods.  An example are Fruit Squeezies which is organic applesauce
in a tube made by Walnut Acres
 http://www.walnutacres.com/snack_overview.php  ).  It's a product I can
feel reasonably good about giving to my child, she likes it and gets use 
to
eating foods that have some nutritional value and I am providing support
with my consumer dollars to companies that rely on organic food 
production.
[Also, I use like this product after having experienced what it's like to
open a lunch container that been in the sun all day with the contents of 
an
open container of partially eaten apple sauce that is spread over 
everything
(again, I have tried many types of reusable containers and I am also
convinced that my child doesn't have the "close the container correctly"
gene).  Again, I am sure that many subscribers to this list will claim not
to have these problems because they have children who have demonstated the
dexterity of safe crackers since the age of 2.  Again, consider yourself
fortunate and keep in mind that no every household is blessed like yours.]

So, the bottom line is that I don't think going from a "wasteful" to a
"waste-free" lunch is a simple, cost-free, hassle-free process of
subsitution.

Sincerely,

Roger M. Guttentag
610-584-8836
rgutten@no.address

(snip, snip)