School's Back!
Summer came and went in a flurry, and schools are soon or already open for some serious learning business. In that spirit, here are some eco-tips for back -to-school shopping and also for encouraging the clean and green in schools themselves.
Shoot for Waste-free Lunches: Use lunch boxes or cloth bags instead of disposable paper bags, reusable containers for sandwiches instead of disposable plastic bags, reusable utensils instead of disposable plastic ones, reusable canteens instead of disposable juice boxes and water bottles, cloth napkins instead of paper. Also, try to buy foods in bulk to cut down on individual packaging.
Buy Less: Last year’s backpack is probably still sturdy enough for this year’s books, etc. so there’s really no reason to buy a new one for Junior. Likewise, you can use existing pencil boxes, school supplies, and lunch boxes. You can also remember to use both sides of paper whenever possible.
PVC-Free: When you do need to buy new stuff, try to avoid plastics, but especially PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) or vinyl products. Unfortunately, PVCs are everywhere, from school supplies, backpacks, lunch bags, umbrellas, toys, rainboots, trashcans, shower curtains, …and you can tell PVC by looking at the recycling code (PVC is the number 3 encircled by the arrows). PVCs are especially nasty as they pollute the air and water at the site of manufacturing, and they are cancer causing and toxic when we use them. And kids are especially susceptible to toxic products as their bodies are still developing. By the way, plastics are made from oil too…
Help start or support a “Green Team” at school: Schools and classrooms are the perfect places for teaching and implementing recycling, environmental stewardship and pollution lessons, gardening, or composting (vermiposting—or worm composting, anyone?) Have kids draw signs for what’s recyclable and what’s not. Use recyclables for art materials. Compost lunch food scraps for the garden. The possibilities are limitless when we see environment and health as core to our learning and teaching.
Clean, Green, Learning Machines: Encourage your school administrators to use non-toxic cleaning supplies to improve the air quality inside the school. The U.S. EPA estimates that up to half of all schools are unhealthy environments. Indoor environments with toxic chemicals from cleaning supplies and school supplies can lead to allergies, and asthma, indoor pollution, and lost school days for kids.
Please share other tips that you have too!
Shoot for Waste-free Lunches: Use lunch boxes or cloth bags instead of disposable paper bags, reusable containers for sandwiches instead of disposable plastic bags, reusable utensils instead of disposable plastic ones, reusable canteens instead of disposable juice boxes and water bottles, cloth napkins instead of paper. Also, try to buy foods in bulk to cut down on individual packaging.
Buy Less: Last year’s backpack is probably still sturdy enough for this year’s books, etc. so there’s really no reason to buy a new one for Junior. Likewise, you can use existing pencil boxes, school supplies, and lunch boxes. You can also remember to use both sides of paper whenever possible.
PVC-Free: When you do need to buy new stuff, try to avoid plastics, but especially PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) or vinyl products. Unfortunately, PVCs are everywhere, from school supplies, backpacks, lunch bags, umbrellas, toys, rainboots, trashcans, shower curtains, …and you can tell PVC by looking at the recycling code (PVC is the number 3 encircled by the arrows). PVCs are especially nasty as they pollute the air and water at the site of manufacturing, and they are cancer causing and toxic when we use them. And kids are especially susceptible to toxic products as their bodies are still developing. By the way, plastics are made from oil too…
Help start or support a “Green Team” at school: Schools and classrooms are the perfect places for teaching and implementing recycling, environmental stewardship and pollution lessons, gardening, or composting (vermiposting—or worm composting, anyone?) Have kids draw signs for what’s recyclable and what’s not. Use recyclables for art materials. Compost lunch food scraps for the garden. The possibilities are limitless when we see environment and health as core to our learning and teaching.
Clean, Green, Learning Machines: Encourage your school administrators to use non-toxic cleaning supplies to improve the air quality inside the school. The U.S. EPA estimates that up to half of all schools are unhealthy environments. Indoor environments with toxic chemicals from cleaning supplies and school supplies can lead to allergies, and asthma, indoor pollution, and lost school days for kids.
Please share other tips that you have too!
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