| Can you believe its back to school time already? For | | | | While speaking about waste and garbage, don't forget |
| many of you, summer vacations have come and gone | | | | to recycle. Whether it's the packaging from your |
| and you're now ready for back to school time for your | | | | organic food purchases or the paper waste products |
| kids. In thinking back, wasn't it exciting? I remember as | | | | from your kids school lessons and projects, remember |
| a child, we'd always take our yearly family vacation, | | | | to recycle. If you haven't started recycling in your |
| usually in July, and though it was always a lot of fun, | | | | home yet, don't worry, it's never too late to start and |
| come August, I seemed to always be excited and | | | | it's very easy too. In your garage or wherever you |
| looking forward to going back to school again. | | | | have some extra space in your home, start by setting |
| Well, as you're busy getting your kids ready to start | | | | up a few extra trash buckets and label them. Things |
| the new school year again, or even if they've already | | | | you should recycle are plastic containers, steel/tin |
| started like in my local neighborhood, here are a few | | | | aluminum containers, milk cartons, cardboard boxes |
| tips for you to help you get ready this year the green | | | | containers, paper, and batteries. Then check within |
| and eco-friendly way! | | | | your local community to see if they have a recycling |
| 1. Buy Local & Organic Foods & Snacks: | | | | program or if there is a regular schedule for recycled |
| A great way to help your child stay healthy and | | | | trash pick up in your neighborhood. |
| eco-friendly this school year is to send them off with | | | | 4. Save Energy: Walk, Take the Bus or Carpool it: |
| their own pre-packed lunches. This way you know | | | | This school year encourage your child to walk to |
| that as a mom you are helping them get the best | | | | school, if it's at all possible, and save energy. This way |
| nutrition as possible during their day. In deciding what to | | | | you are also helping your child to get exercise and |
| pack, I recommend choosing local and organic foods | | | | stay fit which is so important with the child obesity rate |
| and snacks. A few excellent choices are fresh fruits, | | | | as high as what it currently is in this country. Or, if |
| vegetables, and nuts. And know that when you | | | | walking to school just isn't feasible, you can also |
| choose to buy organic and locally produced food, you | | | | encourage them to take the bus whether it's the public |
| are not only providing healthier nutrition for your kids, | | | | transportation system in your city or your school |
| you are also helping to support your local farmers and | | | | district's yellow bus. However, if you still prefer or need |
| economy as well as the environment too. | | | | to drive your child to school everyday, you can cut |
| 2. Use Reusable Plastic Containers: | | | | down on your gasoline bill and consumption as well as |
| Another great thing you can do to be green & | | | | reduce your carbon emissions by suggesting to form a |
| eco-friendly this school year is to pack your kids | | | | car pool with other local neighborhood mothers who |
| healthy organic lunches using only reusable plastic | | | | may also prefer or need to drive their child to school. |
| containers. By using reusable plastic containers, you | | | | 5. Purchase Eco-friendly, Recycled School Supplies: |
| are helping to reduce the enormous mounds of waste | | | | And last but not least, purchase school supplies that |
| that gets hauled out in garbage bags each day to be | | | | are eco-friendly, non-toxic and constructed from |
| dumped into land fills from lunches made from | | | | recycled materials. Purchasing eco-friendly for your |
| pre-packaged food containers and plastic bags. When | | | | back to school supplies doesn't have to break the |
| I was a child, it wasn't very cool to carry your own | | | | budget either. Now you can purchase green, |
| lunch box container especially if it was plastic and | | | | eco-friendly school supply kits containing paper, folders, |
| made from Tupperware. However, times have | | | | pencils, colored markers, crayons, scissors, etc. all for |
| changed and happily so. Now we have the opportunity | | | | less than $20 which is a fantastic deal and well worth |
| to teach our children that it IS cool to bring their own | | | | it as you will feel good knowing that you are buying |
| lunch containers because it's simply the right, green | | | | better, safer, and healthier items for your kids as well |
| & eco-friendly thing to do. | | | | as for the environment. |
| 3. Don't Forget to Recycle: | | | | |