Throwing away food is becoming a high impact discussion across the globe . Nowhere is it more apparent than in United States ’ school cafeterias . Have students quantify the amount of food being thrown away by interviewing food service officials and observing students . Fill in the story with real research about the amount of food thrown away in schools each year and how what we throw away can depend on our culture and what has been communicated to us .

How much energy does your school building use ? Ask for ten years of energy usage and costs from the facilities manager ( this is public information and if they refuse to give it , the law is on your side and you should call the Student Press Law Center ). Here , students should look at trends — is energy use up or down ? Is the school / district saving money and if so , why ? If not , why not ? Students should also observe habits of staff and students in schools , maybe even visiting at night or on weekends to see what is on , off , etc .

BETH DALEY

Beth Daley is the director of strategic development at InsideClimate News , where she works to grow and diversify sources of revenue for the organization . Before ICN she spent three years at the New England Center for Investigative Reporting in Boston and more than two decades at the Boston Globe . A Pulitzer Prize-finalist for her work on climate change , Daley has won numerous national journalism awards for her reporting at the Globe and NECIR .