How environmentally friendly is my lunch? (activity 2)

You can reduce the food component of your Ecological Footprint by bringing lunch from home that includes fresh ingredients and has minimal packaging. Fresh food with minimal packaging has a smaller impact on the environment than food that has been processed and packaged. Meat and dairy foods have a greater environmental impact than vegetable and fruit.

In this activity you will investigate the life cycle of your school lunch.

1. Draw up a life cycle table like the one available for download below. List what you have in your lunchbox or have bought from the canteen today. (include drinks and recess snacks as well)
   Download the life cycle table (Microsoft Word file, 39KB)
   
   
2. For each food and drink item write down the stages of the life cycle and include all the environmental impacts. (land use, water use, energy use)
   
   
3. Select one item and draw a life cycle flow chart. (A life cycle flow chart is illustrated in the What is a lifecycle? section) Label the environmental impacts at each stage.
   
   
4. Compare the life cycle of your item with others in your class.
   
   
5. What foods and drinks could you bring to school that have less environmental impact? Consider items that have less wrappings and packaging.
   
   
6. Think about what a 'low environmental impact' lunch would have in it. Write down the items you would have in such a lunch.

Top