(Images courtesy of Google Image Search)
Fall is nearly here, and we parents are getting ready to send our kids back to the old grindstone... I mean, back to school! I'm sure you're all familiar with the page or two every homeroom teacher sends home within the first week of class: the list of inevitable school supplies. It may just be me, but these lists appear to be getting longer and more complex as the years go by! Does a first grader really need whiteout?
There are countless stores and retail establishments busy with promoting all of their back to school gear. You know the scene: bright, flashy knickknacks that your kids just have to get; very few of which are on their actual class list. The stores involved in the back to school market make no small fortune, each and every September. But in all the hustle, excitement and purchasing pandemonium, have we ever considered what damage to our planet the production of these seemingly harmless items can do?
In all honesty, I never gave it a second thought... till now. So, let's break it down: what is the most commonly used product in any given school year? If you guessed paper, you guessed right! It's great if you invest a little extra funds in recycled notebooks and three-hole paper, but more often than not, it's easier to pick up the cellophane-wrapped stack of the usual stuff. Our country wastes so much paper, that a year's worth could stretch all the way from L.A. to New York! We all watch the news; we see the ill effects of deforestation. Entire eco-systems are being annihilated, and for what? Our need for brand new notebook paper, when there are other alternatives available?
What else is a necessity in school these days? Well, your child can't really get by very well with all that paper, without something to write with. Think of the discount bag of plastic pens you normally purchase. Binders, folders, backpacks, pencil cases. The plastic and adhesives used to produce these items come straight from nonrenewable resources, and right to your front door. It's alarming to think how much damage we've contributed to, just by being uninformed.
How about a new resolution: sending your kids back to school, happy and healthy, with a assortment of green products instead! It's becoming more and more common to find useful, greener, more affordable school supplies at your local retail store. Here's a list of possibilities for greener, safer, healthier back to school supplies.
- Paper products: There is a wide variety of affordable, recycled, chlorine-free paper and notebooks. An old school staple, the Mead Brand, has these options stocked at your local stores. The notebooks come in any number of cute and trendy designs, so your kids will hop right on the recycled paper bandwagon! Try to avoid purchasing binders and other supplies made with vinyl. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is extremely toxic to make, and results in the release of powerful dioxins. Maybe substitute a recycled folder instead, to store all your child's classwork.
- Writing utensils: Paper Mate currently markets pencils made from recycled newspaper and cardboard. You can also find biodegradable pens that are made from cornstarch or recycled paper, instead of petroleum plastics.
- Backpacks: Instead of bags made with oil-based nylon and plastics, give your kids cool, original backpacks made from natural fibers like hemp. It's trendy, it's bohemian (I might even get one myself). Help your child become a true original!
- Additional supplies: All the extra little supplies needed for the school year can really add up, in terms of price and resources. But many products are now available with recycled content; supplies like scissors, paper clips and sticky notes. Don't forget to search your drawers at home for supplies that you may already have.
I hope this list helped you rethink an old chore, and revamp the subject of school supplies altogether. Let's have our kids go back to school this year in sustainable, unique, Greenie style!
(All of
this useful information thanks to thedailygreen.com)
Comments
Leave a comment