Conservation in the Classroom Leftover Lunch—How Saving Food Saves the Planet

The document is a teaching guide from WWF-US focused on food waste, providing bell-ringer questions, informational resources, and lesson plans. It highlights that up to 40% of food produced globally is lost or wasted, with school cafeterias being a significant contributor. The materials include a 'Food Waste Warrior' toolkit for conducting school food audits and a worksheet that connects food waste to greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and resource consumption.

• Globally, up to 40% of all food produced for human consumption is either lost or wasted, with school cafeterias identified as a significant source of this waste.
• Food waste in landfills contributes to climate change because the food does not decompose properly and instead releases greenhouse gases.
• The production of food impacts wildlife and biodiversity because natural habitats are converted into agricultural land.
• Among different food types, beef is identified as the one requiring the most resources—specifically food, water, and energy—to produce.
• Fruits and vegetables are the most frequently discarded food items by people.

APA

Nichols-Vinueza, A., & Borland, J. (2021). Conservation in the Classroom Leftover Lunch—How Saving Food Saves the Planet. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/469/2fy142exb8_Conservation_in_the_Classroom_Learning_Material_Packet_September_30_2021.pdf

Chicago

Nichols-Vinueza, Alex, and Julia Borland. Conservation in the Classroom Leftover Lunch—How Saving Food Saves the Planet. WWF International, 2021. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/469/2fy142exb8_Conservation_in_the_Classroom_Learning_Material_Packet_September_30_2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Nichols-Vinueza |first1=Alex |last2=Borland |first2=Julia |title=Conservation in the Classroom Leftover Lunch—How Saving Food Saves the Planet |publisher=WWF International |date=30 September 2021 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/469/2fy142exb8_Conservation_in_the_Classroom_Learning_Material_Packet_September_30_2021.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{nicholsvinueza2021conservation, author = {Nichols-Vinueza, Alex and Borland, Julia}, title = {{Conservation in the Classroom Leftover Lunch—How Saving Food Saves the Planet}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2021}, month = sep, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/469/2fy142exb8_Conservation_in_the_Classroom_Learning_Material_Packet_September_30_2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }