Photo credit: Hannah Smailes

Your mission

Pack a litterless lunch for three consecutive days.

Time Commitment: 6 Hours

Range of Impact: Home, School

This Action was created in collaboration with Hannah Smailes, founder of SeaGood.

Why this Action is impactful

Lunch boxes are usually full of single use plastics: Ziplock baggies, juice pouches, packaged snack pouches, yogurt containers, fruit cups, straws, plastic spoons and more! Think about how many kids across the world pack a school lunch and how this single-use plastic trash adds up quickly filling trashcans and landfills. But, we can stop the flood of plastic by buying in bulk, using reusable containers, and bringing reusable utensils.

What to know before getting started

Check out this Litterless Lunchbox Toolkit created by Hannah Smailes, a young Aussie conservationist and educator, and one of our original Student Mini-Grant awardees! She’s working to change the culture around packing lunch to be healthier and more sustainable. You can use her Litterless Lunchbox Toolkit to learn tips for packing a litterless lunch. Then pass it on to share with your friends and classmates. 

What to do

Pack a litterless lunch for three consecutive days avoiding all items on this list: 

• Single-use plastic baggies 
• Single-use plastic utensils 
• Single-use plastic straws 
• Single-use plastic wrappers; for example, single serving snack items wrapped in plastic (like chips, crackers, or string cheese, etc.)
• Single-use plastic, and boxed, beverage containers

Tips and suggestions

• You may not be able to bring glass containers to school. Check with school staff.
• Use non-plastic reusable items whenever possible. Over time, plastic chemicals can leach out and could get into your food, especially if the container is exposed to sun and/or heat.

Track your contribution

To submit your work and get recognized for your contribution to your community, complete the form below. If we approve your submission, you’ll be awarded 6 Hours.

Create an account or login to track your progress.

Learn more

Check out the educational videos below to learn more about this topic.

Do another Action

Check out our other Actions that build off of this one!