4165 E Montecito Ave
Fresno, CA 93702

A much touted benefit this year is the free lunch program for all FUSD schools (which also includes free breakfast and snacks). The problem is the extraordinary amount of waste. The amount of plastic waste used to wrap the trays, individual food items and utensils is enough to shrink wrap a baby whale. Fresh cooked meals would employ Fresno locals and businesses; instead microwaved lunch plates typically include something like meat patty, cornbread (wrapped), diced fruit (wrapped), utensils (wrapped). The amount of unrecycled waste per classroom is extraordinary. One classroom uses two 33 gallon sized plastic garbage cans per day filled with a mix of construction paper, towels, uneaten food, drinks, etc. It is appalling that teachers are sending messages that waste is okay. The school should set aside the uneaten, unopened food for sharing or recycling. The school district policy of free food parochialism seems to equates largesse with waste, as if the more waste means more accomplished. FUSD should use their free lunch program to instill character rather than perpetuate low self-esteem, class-consciousness, and adult narcissism.