Spoiled Oceans
Student reality of microplastics and food waste in our ecosystems, communities, and school lunch table.
What We Throw Away Matters
Approximately one-third of all food produced in the world is wasted today. That's almost 1.3 billion tons of fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, fish, and grains that never leave the field, get lost or damaged during distribution, or end up in hotels, grocery shops, restaurants, schools, or home kitchens. That number might provide enough calories to feed the world's undernourished people. But wasted food isn't simply a social or humanitarian issue; it's also a worry for the ecosystem, especially for our oceans.
"As a country, we spend a total on $1.1 trillion a year on food. But When the impacts of the food-system on different parts of our society- including rising health care costs, climate change, and biodiversity loss-are factored in, the bill grows. Accounting for these costs the true costs of food is at least $3.2 trillion a year, triple the current expenditure on food." - The Rockfeller Foundation
Input of Cafeteria Waste
Output of Cafeteria Waste
The hierarchy is what we took into consideration to deal with the waste we saw everyday.
Changing Our Mindsets
By extending our thinking and assisting us in articulating issues in new and diverse ways, systems thinking broadens the variety of options accessible for addressing the problem. Simultaneously, the concepts of systems thinking remind us that there are no perfect answers; our decisions will have an influence on other aspects of the system. We may reduce the intensity of any trade-off or even utilize it to our advantage if we anticipate its impact. As a result, systems thinking allowed us to make well-informed decisions.
Readington Middle School Waste Audit
Waste from Non-Recyclable Waste Bins (Grade 8, January 2020)
School and students can make a difference. Here’s how...
Hanging educational recycling posters around the school and cafeteria is also a critical step to awareness.
Conduct a School Food Audit
Adapted from National Academy of Medicine
How has COVID-19 impacted food and plastic waste in our schools?
Chris Serrao's perspective.
Take Action Now!
Meet The Team
We hoped you had a knowledgeable experience with the Spoiled Oceans StoryMap, and learned the real impacts of our trash at the school cafeteria lunch table. We, the team collaborators of this story map, are students. Among the millions of other students who are throwing their trash away, we as leaders for our communities and school understand the crisis and want to make an impact.
The climate generation, specifically our peers and students in schools, must take action if we strive to achieve and conserve sustainably the oceans, seas, and marine resources by 2050 . Our voices have the power and we must use it!
We wanted to thank our Advisor, Ms. Betsy Freeman for guiding us through the process of this amazing experience and the CU EcoA Network for giving us this opportunity!
Check out our RMS Go-Green Website to see updates on our school and community's sustainable action progress!
Tatiana Hlinka: Eco-Ambassador, National Green Schools Society Co-Founder, Girl Scout, & Leader
Chris Serrao: Eco-Ambassador, 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champ, & Leader
Bani Meghadri: Eco-Ambassador, Readington Middle School (Class of 2021) Student Council President, & Leader