Back to School in Eco Style

Date: August 28, 2007 | Category: Food & Drink, Kids, Lifestyle, Stores & Resources, Transport

We want our kids to start the school year off right, looking and feeling their best. This certainly means making sure the materials they’re wearing and the products they’re toting aren’t pesticide-laden or off-gassing harmful chemicals into the air (and their lungs). Back-to-school shopping can be fun and healthy - get them geared to go with the hippest eco has to offer. First and foremost, let’s talk about re-use. If you’ve still got adequate supplies and your kids are really in no dire need to accumulate more stuff (clothes, bags, pencils, etc.) revive last year’s gear. But if your children need the back-to-school touted “must haves” great options abound. Let’s start off with the quintessential back-to-school item, the backpack. Backpacks are conventionally made using PVC (polyvinyl chloride), widely known as “vinyl,” which is one of the most poisonous substances for the environment. On top of that, phthalates are often added as a plasticizer to make plastics more flexible - providing a double whammy of chemicals that have been shown to pose serious health risks such as cancer and endocrine disruption. Rule of thumb #1: avoid PVC and go phthalate-free. Earthpaks use 90-99% recycled materials and are extremely durable. They’re sporty looking - think Jansport, but each one saves 7-12 two-liter plastic bottles from ending up in landfills. Now let’s do lunch. Check out your school’s sustainability stance to see if they’ve jumped on the organic, local bandwagon. If not, contemplate what you can do as a parent to facilitate changes - Sustainable Table is a great resource or launching pad. In the meantime, a lunch-box is a necessity (it eliminates waste from brown bag lunches). However, most lunch-boxes are either vinyl and/or have high levels of lead-containing paint which has been linked to developmental problems in young children (at very low levels). It’s hard to ascertain the lead levels in any vinyl lunch-box, so better to steer clear. Mimi the Sardine offers the “lunchbug” in a variety of textiles that are Oeko-Tex Certified. Now let’s discuss school supplies. When it comes to paper always look for processed chlorine free (PCF) and the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled content possible. We at Ecofabulous adore our “tree-free” Ecopaper banana-leaf notebooks made using the agricultural waste from plantations in Central America - available at Office Depot. If you’re looking for something with a little more fab factor check out Ecojot’s notebooks at your local Barnes & Noble or Urban Outfitters. A staple-free stapler saves resources (and your child’s skin from possible accidents). The animal variety is an adolescent favorite. And if you want your kid to bloom in the classroom, get them a pen that does too. Bloomin’ Pens has a biodegradable Flower Pen (made from corn) that actually has a cap containing seeds which can be planted when the ink runs dry (Bill McDonough’s long-awaited dream has come true). If you’re looking for more of a one-stop-shop, check out Green Earth Office Supply or Office Depot’s Green Buy section where you can find everything in a smaller footprint form - from recycled binders to solar calculators. Shifting the focus towards back-to-school attire why not get them excited about how cool green can be. This fall check out Progressive Kids tee-shirts, screen-printed with water and vegetable-based dyes on Skal-certified organic cotton. We especially like the one that has an image of the Earth and reads “mine (don’t mess).” If your child is feeling as inspired by this gear as we are, they can log on to Kid’s Rock and get involved with other Progressive Kids. Simple Shoes has launched Green Piggies, a line of sustainable kicks just for kids. They’re using a host of environmentally friendly materials such as jute, organic cotton, crepe, recycled car tires, cork and more. And when all is said and done - you’re little ones have eaten their veggies and completed their homework - tuck them into bed in a pair of Hannah Andersson’s organic cotton pjs (Oeko-Tex Certified) and know that you’re doing your part to run a healthy home and take care of the ultimate household - Mother Earth.

More choices for environmentally responsible purchasing are available now, so keep your eyes out, but before making that purchase there are few questions to ask to help you on your way.

1. Is it hazardous? Does it contain any “WARNING,” “CAUTION” or “DANGER” labels?

2. Is it reusable or at least more durable?

3. Can you find a product made from recycled and/or recyclable materials?

4. What is the product life cycle? Will the manufacturer take the product back or will it need special disposal?

5. Does the product conserve energy or water?

6. Is it made from plant based materials?

Find more resources at Healthychild.org to learn about easy steps you can take in creating a healthier environment for our children. For some food choices scroll down in baby & kid on ecofabulous.

Email , Print, Leave a Comment