skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Sunday, July 13, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump heads to Texas after catastrophic flooding, avoiding criticism he's heaped on other governors; Trump threatens a 35% tariff on Canadian goods, and he may double what most other nations are charged; USDA funding pause could stall conservation momentum in MI, nation; New Ohio weapons plant to bring over 4,000 jobs; Report: Occupational segregation leads to pay gap for MA women.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

NOAA nominee says he supports cutting the agency's budget. Many question why Ukraine's weapons aid was paused. And farmers worry how the budget megabill will impact this year's Farm Bill.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rural Americans brace for disproportionate impact of federal funding cuts to mental health, substance use programs, and new federal policies have farmers from Ohio to Minnesota struggling to grow healthier foods and create sustainable food production programs.

Turning K-12 'Cafeterias into Classrooms' to Address Food Waste

play audio
Play

Monday, February 27, 2023   

Students in the Orlando area could soon get more classroom time during their lunchtime, to learn more about ways to fight hunger and food waste.

It is estimated 40% of the food produced globally is lost or wasted. The "Food Waste Warrior" program of the World Wildlife Fund inspires children to help alleviate local and global food insecurity. It prompts them to think through practical, easy-to-implement solutions, like a "share table," where food they are not going to eat can be shared with someone else.

Alex Nichols-Vinueza, program manager for food loss and waste for the World Wildlife Fund, said the idea is to empower students to have a role in addressing issues in their community.

"Around food insecurity, around the environmental impacts of the food system," Nichols-Vinueza explained. "It's a way that it's not controversial; that you can really engage students on some of these issues."

He pointed out they are just starting in Orlando, making connections with school districts and community partners and their goal is to work with five to seven schools in the year ahead. In addition to providing free educational materials, there will be grant opportunities to get programs and ideas off the ground.

Nichols-Vinueza noted reducing food waste is increasingly being recognized as an effective solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He added it is not political, like so many facets of the climate-change debate. And one practical way to help students understand is through "show and tell."

"Engaging in an interactive way, get into their cafeterias and look at what's being thrown away," Nichols-Vinueza emphasized. "What are those foods that are most being discarded, and why. And it's a very visceral understanding of the issue."

The program calls on schools across the country to use their cafeterias as classrooms through activities like conducting food-waste audits, and learning more about the connections between their food, wildlife and habitat conservation.

Disclosure: The World Wildlife Fund contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Endangered Species and Wildlife, Environment, and Public Lands/Wilderness. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
According to the Trump administration's 2026 fiscal year budget, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will cut 22% of its workforce, in addition to the workforce reductions that have already taken place. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Wisconsin's agriculture industry could see both wins and losses under the new federal budget. Climate change isn't a priority for the Trump …


Environment

play sound

Hoosier businesses across the state are feeling the ripple effects of rising tariffs and shifting trade policies, especially in farming, …

Social Issues

play sound

Some 15 community and faith-based organizations gathered again this week outside the Geo Group ICE detention facility in Aurora where longtime Denver …


Authors of the law may add enforcement language, such as fines for parents or involvement from the prosecutor's office, during the committee process. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

By Garrett Bergquist for WISH-TV.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Serv…

Social Issues

play sound

More than 400 teen artists will gather this Saturday in Southern California to learn about equity in arts education. The 3rd annual Arts Advocacy Day …

A seed drill used by New Mexico farmers to plant cover crops causes minimal disturbance to the soil. (photo: courtesy NMhealthysoil.org)

Environment

play sound

New Mexico farmers finding it more difficult to grow historic crops are taking up conservation techniques to meet the challenge. Drought, water …

Environment

play sound

Despite last-minute concessions in the Trump administration's budget, which removes alternative energy tax incentives, rural Alaska power providers …

Environment

play sound

"Don't go into the water" is a warning Illinoisans may want to heed. A 2024 study released this week found all state-border beaches on Lake Michigan …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021