The Environment Wins and So Will You
The month of August has become synonymous with going back to school. Pre-school to college students and their parents are making preparations and we’ve found a couple tips to make the routine “greener.”
Take Inventory and Avoid Duplicates
Getting ready for school requires a lot of stuff – but it doesn’t always require NEW stuff. Take inventory of what you already have that can be used again. Do you really need a new ruler (the measurements haven’t changed during the summer) or is every pencil worn down to the nub? Don’t be tempted by the retail hype – buy only what is needed and the amount of stuff you bring home (and the $$ you spend) will be reduced significantly. Also, try to purchase things made from recycled materials – like a GreenSmartTM backpacks made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles.
The Wheels on the Bus…
In the late 1960s, 48 percent of kids walked or biked to school. Today, that number is 12 percent, according to the Washington Post. This trend supports current statistics that indicate more kids are overweight than ever before. If safety is the issue, consider a “walkpool” where parents take turns walking the neighborhood children to school. If walking or biking is not possible, consider the school bus or a neighborhood carpool. School Bus Facts states that riding the school bus is twenty times safer than the family automobile on the commute to school.
Find out what's happening in Johnstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Green Up Lunch
If your child takes a brown paper bag filled with baggies, pre-packaged snacks and a juice box to school every day, that adds up to a lot of trash! By using a lunch box and reusable containers, your child could save 67 pounds of garbage a year, according to (wastefreelunches.org).
There is an estimated 75.5 million students ages 3 and older in the United States (one-fourth the population) and if each one followed the tips listed above, the positive impact on the environment would be truly remarkable!