Latest news with #ManasaMantravadi
Fast Company
3 days ago
- Health
- Fast Company
This pediatrician developed cafeteria dishware that won't leach hormone-disrupters into schoolkids
In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a policy statement warning that plastic foodware could potentially leach hormone-disrupting chemicals into children's food. Seven years later, millions of children across the U.S. are still eating hot cafeteria lunches off plastic dishware. Manasa Mantravadi and her startup, Ahimsa, are working to change that. A board-certified pediatrician and mother of three, Mantravadi was spurred by the AAP's findings to launch Ahimsa in 2019 to make steel dishware for children. Having gained traction with direct-to-consumer sales to thousands of families, Ahimsa is now aiming to get into schools across the U.S. Through a partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative, the company launched a national pilot in 2024 called the Conscious Cafeteria Project, which saw 15 elementary schools (in California, Minnesota, Indiana, and New York) swap their plastic trays and utensils for reusable stainless steel over the course of a school year. The nonprofit Upstream claims that permanently eliminating plastics from these cafeterias can reduce their average annual CO2 emissions by 83%. The project displaced more than 1 million single-use items in total and decreased water usage by 78% (the difference between water used during production for single-use plastic and production for reusable steel). And, by making the swap, each school saved nearly $4,000 per year. One major challenge Mantravadi continues to face is that many school administrators are unaware of plastic dishware's risks. She shares educational content and research on Ahimsa's Instagram account, and the company's website includes additional resources. 'Children can't advocate for themselves—they don't have voting power, they don't make purchasing decisions,' Mantravadi says. 'It's my job as a pediatrician, it's parents' jobs, it's legislators' jobs, it's teachers' jobs. We're the adults in the room, and we've got to make better choices to invest in the health of our children.'
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
School eliminates 90% of lunch waste with a single simple change: 'People in my position have an opportunity to make a change'
A Rhode Island elementary school has embraced stainless steel lunch trays, eliminating lunch waste by as much as 90% and making students happier in the process. As reported by the Washington Post, Brown Avenue Elementary is a mere three miles from the state's only landfill. Using plastic foam trays in the cafeteria only added to the nearby pile, as the material is difficult to recycle and can take 500 years to break down. Eating foods served on plastic foam can also come with an unhealthy helping of cancer-linked chemicals. Unfortunately, because the material is cheap and doesn't require significant kitchen labor, it is a popular choice in school cafeterias, according to pediatrician Manasa Mantravadi, who founded the stainless steel dinnerware brand Ahimsa. Despite the short-term inconvenience, with only one permanent kitchen staff member, Brown Avenue invested time and money into stainless steel lunch trays and utensils. A grant from the Rhode Island Education Department paid the cost of the trays for a little more than $1,000, while staff member Nancy Carlton estimates she is only on the clock an extra 15 minutes each day. All in all, the school estimates it will save $3,500 every year. Early indications are everyone is thrilled with the move and its long-term perks. "It helps the landfill and it's better for the environment," fifth-grader Mia Amaral told the Post. "And the old trays used to fall apart, they would bend or break." Fifth-grader Lucas Halton added that the plastic foam trays "used to fly," suggesting that the slightly heavier stainless steel trays were no trouble to handle. After students finish their meals, they return the reusable trays and utensils to cafeteria staff with the help of student volunteers, who are also tackling food waste through composting. According to Feeding America, the United States throws out the equivalent of 145 billion meals annually. When that waste rots in landfills, it produces methane, a potent gas contributing to an overheating planet — and associated intensified extreme weather threatening our food supply. However, composting can lessen these effects, as well as provide free, nutrient-rich fertilizer. Which of these environmental causes would you be most interested in supporting with a financial donation? Promoting clean energy Protecting clean air Advancing forest conservation Fighting climate change Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Kelly DeAngelis, a facilitator with the Rhode Island School Recycling Project, told the Post other schools in the district are eyeing Brown Avenue's successful program and are now interested in implementing similar programs. Importantly, the state's plastic foam ban, which took effect Jan. 1, has helped with both enforcement and funding. "People in my position have an opportunity to make a change. And if somebody is willing to put their necks forward to make that change, others will follow," Brown Avenue principal Helina Dlugon, who grew up recycling and composting, told the Post. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
