Turn Your School Plans Green

This is an easy guide on how to reduce, reuse, and recycle when it comes to getting through the school year. Remember that it is never too late to start to go green in any area of your life. Throughout the year your child will need new school supplies or you will need office supplies. When it comes to replacing your next supply it’s time to think green. Here are some tips to help you with the school experience.

Tips:

• Be a conscious consumer and only buy what you really need.
  
  
• Make sure the items you do purchase are eco-friendly and have the least amount of packaging as possible.
  
  
• Buy refillable, reusable, recycled, non-toxic, and durable products.
  
  
• Vegetable dyes and water-based inks are best. Supplies should be PVC-free.
  
  
• When possible say no to battery operated school supplies. If it must use batteries look for a solar powered option, rechargeable batteries, or ones with low mercury content.
  
  
• Pack a waste free lunch for your child and shop local organic options when possible.
  
  
• Buy used or swap items whenever possible. You can get great deals on used sports equipment and school supplies on Craig’s List, Ebay, GoodWill, Paperback Swap, and Freecycle. Even better start a supply swap at your school. You can swap sports equipments, clothes and more.
  
  
• Repair items that can be repaired rather than buying new. Donate goods that you cannot use so that they can have a second life.
  
  
• Think before you print. Use only recycled paper, print on both sides, and enlarge your paper margins to use less paper.
  
  
• Start a recycling program at your school if one does not already exist.
  
  
• Transportation: Walk or bike ride if close enough, use public transportation or carpool.

Supplies We Like:

• TerraCycle's folders, lunch boxes etc. made from used juice containers, Papermate's Earthwrite pencils made from 100% post-consumer waste, and Amazing Recycled's pencils made from old money. Pentel makes eco-friendly pens, mechanical pencils, highlighters and markers that are made from at least 50% recycled plastic. Smencils proves that green doesn’t have to be boring these environmentally friendly scented pencils are made from 100% recycled newspaper sheets instead of wood. There are Eco magic markers too.
• No More Germs Anti-Viral spray. It is an organic alternative to hand sanitizer or Lysol for kids.
• No one wants to admit it but school time is lice time. Need a rescue try organic lice products at Eco Kid Organics. Remember that the skin in the your largest organ and it absorbs what you put onto it.
• How many times do you need to send your child to school with an additional bag? Kick the plastic bag habit and try ChicoBag. They have backpack and messenger-style bags manufactured from recycled water bottles.
• Kleen Earth line designed by Product Ventures includes recycled plastic rulers, scissors and sheers are all made from 70 percent post-consumer recycled plastic and ones that include a Microban coating to protect against the spread of germs.
• Eco-back packs are all the rage and this one is stylish too. If you want a 100% recycled PET backpack try the TEMPO. Lands End has a sturdy recycled backpack with a padded laptop slot as well.
• Ann Wizer’s whimsical line of lunch boxes, pencil cases, shopping bags, shoulder totes and laptop holders are all made all out of post-consumer waste.
• Ecosystem is a new line of eco-friendly journals, planners, sketchbooks and more. They have fantastic new vibrant colors too!

Shop web sites or use coupon services that donate a percentage of your sales to charity. One such site that allows parents to shop and save is GoodShop.com through them you can donate to such green charities as Conservation International, the Nature Conservancy, and Heal the Bay among others. Another great idea is ecoNEW a direct online electronics-recycling program that trades items for gift cards that you could donate to your favorite green charity or use to buy eco-friendly school supplies.

Other Resources:

" The Green ABCs: A Sustainable Back-to-School Guide."

An extensive list of PVC free school supplies.

Kelly Neylan is a registered yoga teacher, reiki master, eco-entrepreneur/advocate, and author of the upcoming book Little Bodies Big Souls: How Stories from Yoga and Children will Change your Life. Submissions are being accepted at Little Bodies Big Souls.