Grades of Green is thrilled to be partnering with 22 Los Angeles elementary, middle and K-8 schools in our 7th annual Trash Free Lunch Challenge. Each year, schools compete to see who can be the best at inspiring and empowering students to care for the environment by reducing their lunchtime waste. Stemming from Grades of Green’s Trash Free Lunches Activity, the Challenge encourages students to reduce, reuse and recycle to create a healthier environment. On average, participating schools reduce their trash by 72%, and winning schools reduce by over 90%. Grades of Green is able to support 25 schools in this year’s Challenge, meaning we have just 3 spots left!

Interested in getting your school involved in the Trash Free Lunch Challenge? Email us today if you’d like to learn more and to save your spot at info@gradesofgreen.org.

After months of supporting 22 Los Angeles schools in their quest to reduce their lunchtime waste, Grades of Green is thrilled to announce the grand prize winners of the 2015-2016 Trash Free Lunch Challenge! The Trash Free Lunch Challenge is a year-long contest where Grades of Green works one on one with schools to help them implement school wide waste reduction programs, which focus on encouraging students to bring reusable water bottles, lunch containers, and napkins to school, and to sort any waste they may have into recycle, compost, landfill, liquids, and tray stacking. Each year schools reduce waste on average by 72%, and winning schools reduce their waste by 90% or more! This year’s schools were truly outstanding, and picking the grand prize winners was no easy task. In the middle school category, La Merced Intermediate in Montebello took the 1st place trophy and the $1,000 grand prize. La Merced boasts an incredible student leadership team which consists of students monitoring the five sorting stations daily, as well as a daily trash bag reduction of 40 bags to 10 or less. In the elementary school category, Collegewood in Walnut received the $1,000 grand prize for their average lunchtime waste reduction of 94%, awesome student Grades of Green Team, and their leadership in banning Styrofoam trays from all of the schools in their district. Congratulations to both La Merced Intermediate and Collegewood Elementary! Grades of Green is currently looking for schools to participate in the 2016-2017 Trash Free Lunch Challenge, for more information click here! To reserve your spot, email us at info@gradesofgreen.org today!