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The Absolute, Ultimate Eco-Healthy Back-to-School Guide
Janelle Sorensen
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Instead of posting several blogs this year about different aspects of going back to school, I decided to write one definitive guide. But, I’ve been really busy and it kept falling to the bottom of my list of priorities. Still, I knew if I waited long enough, someone would do all my work for me – enter The Green Moms Carnival. This month’s mash-up of 31 submissions are brilliantly broken into eight categories by Lynn at OrganicMania. They are:
At the Beginning: Green Childcare;
Healthy Meals and How to Pack a Waste-Free Lunch;
School Supply Lists and Eco-Friendly School Supplies;
The Edible Schoolyard;
Why It’s Worth Fighting to Keep Recess;
Greening Your School: From Green Committees to Green Certification;
Back to School: Homeschooling Edition; and
Tips for Green College Kids.
Could you possibly need to know anything else? Go read it to find out. But, before you do, I’m going to add a few more ideas here so you can bookmark this page and forevermore be armed for making your child’s education green and healthy.
• Use the resources listed in my post from last year, Healthy School the Whole Year Round, to help your school ditch pesticides, clean green, improve indoor air quality, provide healthy lunches, and more. (You’ll even find the top 100 recipes for packing a healthy lunch and a lice bookmark).
• Find eco-friendly, budget-friendly back-to-school tips here.
• Buy The Everything Green Classroom Book for your child’s teacher (and yourself). Fresh off the printing press, Tessa Hill’s book should be the green bible for all things relating to education. This earth-saver gives inspiring strategies for everything green from global warming to sustainable school supplies, eco-friendly fundraising and new ideas for effective implementation of reusing, reducing and recycling. And, throughout the book, Hill describes how each action protects not only our planet, but our health.
• Get your school to skip fundraisers based on junk food and cheap plastic products. Why not fundraise for the school while benefiting the environment at the same time? Eco-Label Fundraising offers a way to do this, with green products for your friends and family to choose from while supporting your child’s school. Just order a catalog or register online to start reeling in the green for your school.
More questions? Have your own tip or link? Add it to the comments so this page really does become the ultimate back-to-school guide for all time.
Posted by Lynn from OrganicMania on 08/20 at 01:20 PM
Hi Janelle,
Wow! I’m so glad you enjoyed the carnival so much. A huge number of really talented green blogging women did a great job rounding up all those suggestions! It’s amazing what a group of fired up women can do, isn’t it?
I say “women,” because some of the members of the Green Moms Carnival are actually child-free. We call them our “Earth Mothers.” They jumped in and contributed posts about their own childhood memories and more.
We’re all hoping our efforts with the kids will reap great rewards for the Mother who really matters - Mother Earth.
Lynn
Posted by Stacy on 08/21 at 01:55 PM
Kids Konserve has new insulated lunch bags that are made from 100% recycled water bottles. The nesting trio are stainless steel containers that are all the right sizes. And to keep everything colder, the no-sweat ice pack fits perfectly in the bags.
They also do waste-free challenges for schools.
www.kidskonserve.com
Posted by Steve on 09/01 at 06:46 PM
If you have kids with allergies or asthma, this may be something that can help. It is the Aclare air purifier from Advanced Air Solutions. It is safe to use with no harmful byproducts such as ozone. It is very effective in reducing or eliminating not only large particles like dust or pet dander but the very small ones such as mold, fungus, and bacteria. I have allergies and a severe respiratory condition and the Aclare air purifier has helped me tremendously. I am less short of breath, coughing less frequently, and sleeping much better. It has made a huge difference! You can learn more at www.clearairpurifiers.com
Posted by Jeanne on 09/04 at 07:58 AM
Thanks so much for mentioning us in this post. We appreciate your help in spreading the word about what we are trying to accomplish!
Jeanne Reslan
Founder/President
EcoLabel Fundraising
Posted by Corey on 09/10 at 12:29 PM
Great idea to pull things together here.
We have more ideas for creating a zero waster lunch on our guestblog at Baby Loves Disco:
http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/the_absolute_ultimate_eco-healthy_back-to-school_guide/
This guide includes suggestions for products, resources and ways to save money.
Posted by Lisa on 08/20 at 08:12 AM
Please enjoy this 10 page feature on healthy lunches…for all ages! For those who can’t pack a PB & J sandwich (allergies, allergies!), there is a recipe/idea for a new favourite included also. http://www.bordencom.com/PACKING-LUNCHES.pdf