iwalk, is an International Walk to School to raise awareness for safer and improved streets, healthier habits and cleaner air. It started in 1994 in Hertfordshire County in Great Britain with just a few schools. Last year, millions of children, parents, and community leaders walked to school in 40 different countries.
I remember typing a report on a typewriter. I was probably in third grade, and I used so much whiteout that it pretty much covered the entire page. Having a computer has gone from being a luxury to a necessity. How else will you be able to help your child research a paper on the Revolutionary war at ten PM on a Sunday night? (more…)
For a lot of kids, going back to school means riding the bus. In some neighborhoods, the school bus stops at every single child’s house, where it idles and waits for the child to collect her things, say goodbye to mom, pet the dog, smell some flowers, and skip (at a leisurely pace) over to get on the bus. Not only is the bus idling the entire time, but so is every car behind the bus.
If this happens in your neighborhood, talk to the bus company and to other parents in the neighborhood. Set up a common school bus pick up spot at the end of your street or someone’s driveway. A little conversation can make a big difference.
A backpack or schoolbag is another common item on the back to school list.
Give new life to an old backpack with iron on patches, ribbon and cord, or fabric paints. If the backpack is beyond repair, check out the following eco-friendly options.
Earthpak makes bags and backpacks from recycled soda bottles. The LA Original backpack is made using seven two-liter bottles and comes in ten different colors.
Ecolution has hemp backpacks and messenger bags. Hemp is a renewable resource, improves the soil as it grows, and doesn’t require herbicides to grow well.
And, Simple, one of my favorite companies, has the Combover messenger bag.
While you’re getting a bag ready for your child, consider giving a bag to a foster child as well.
Shopping for back to school clothes can be a major event. Here are a few tips to green your child’s wardrobe:
Another Eco-Friendly Tip from Allie.
Packing school lunches can be a mess of foil, baggies, and plastic wrap. When lunch is over, there’s a small mountain of garbage left behind.
Waste Free Lunches gives the following tips for packing your child’s lunch (or your own):
Laptop Lunches has a great waste free lunch system based on the Japanese Bento Box. It’s lead free and top rack dishwasher safe.
If your kid is too cool for a lunch box, try a simple organic cotton lunch bag and a Wrap-N-Mat sandwich wrapper.
Another Eco-Friendly Tip from Allie.
While I was at the grocery store yesterday, I saw an enormous back-to-school display. Is it really that time already?
Since back-to-school season is a big time for new purchases, over the next few days I’ll give you some greener options to get your kids ready for their first day.
Before you buy new supplies, go through the ones from last year and make sure you keep anything that’s usable. Of course, old crayons aren’t as exciting as new ones. Explain to your kids that using up what you already have is better for the environment than buying new. When you need to replace supplies, look for greener options.
You already know to buy recycled paper, right? Well, Greenline Paper Company takes recycled school supplies to a new level with items like the Rebinder. The Rebinder is 100% recyclable (unlike it’s vinyl covered counterparts) and when it wears out after years of use, you can replace the cover.
Greenline also has pens made from recycled plastic, pencils made from recycled money, and rulers made from old blue jeans.
Another Eco-Friendly Tip from Allie.