|
Healthy Food Choices and Waste Reduction Measures Are Part of District 219 Sustainability Plan
 First Lady Michelle Obama is challenging the nation to reverse the trend of childhood obesity within a generation. The Let's Move! program letsmove.gov, encourages schools to improve student access to healthy meals, nutrition education and physical activity. The key components to this campaign include:
- Eat Healthy
- Get Active
- Take Action
Niles Township High School District 219 has expanded its sustainability goals to include a nutritional food management plan. The School District was insightful because the U.S. Department of Agriculture just established new rules aimed to boost the nutritional quality of Americans' diet. For more information, visit cnpp.usda.gov.  In the last year, Niles North and Niles West High Schools incorporated a measurable sustainability plan into their food service contracts with the assistance of Beyond Green, a sustainability consulting firm working with schools which are proactively seeking to serve healthier lunches while staying in budget. Beyond Green engages schools' Superintendents or Business Managers, and Food Service Directors in creating healthy food/sustainability strategies with measurable goals that bring efficiency in waste, energy, water management and kitchen operations to generate savings that are used to serve higher quality food. Read about how students view these changes in an article from the Chicago Tribune, Recipe For a Revolution in School Lunches at mobile.chicagotribune.com. Beyond Green works with both schools outsourcing their food service, such as School District 219, and self-operated schools, such as Bureau Valley School District 340 in Manlius, Illinois. As part of a school's long-term sustainability plan, Beyond Green recommends instituting a garden to grow, teach and feed. For more information and additional innovative projects, visit beyondgreenpartners.com. Do you need a speaker for your next PTA/PTO meeting? If so, Beyond Green staff offers presentations at no cost. To make arrangements, contact Greg Christian at greg@beyondgreenpartners.com.  |
