Environmentgreen Good NewsBack To School

Green Back-To-School Supplies For Your Child

Green Back-To-School Supplies For Your Child
|

It is that time of year again -- back to school!

With so much to think about already, how do you ensure your child's school supplies are safe and environmentally friendly?

The Center for Health, Environment & Justice has released its fourth annual "Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies," which looks at environmental and health risks associated with common school supplies.

According to the guide, lunch boxes, binders and even school bags can contain the toxic plastic PVC. This unique plastic is said to contain dangerous chemical additives such as lead, cadmium and phthalates, which Congress recently banned in children's toys. The guide says even small exposures to these chemicals can be a risk to children.

Here is a list of green alternatives when gearing up to send your child back to school.

Want more? Check out Inhabitat's list of green backpacks, and this list of the greenest colleges.

Go Green: Back To School
Biodegradable Pen(01 of09)
Open Image Modal
How many plastic pens do you go through in a year? Look into more eco-friendly alternatives, such as this biodegradable pen made from corn starch, which looks and feels like plastic. This eco-friendly pen is also made from Mater-Bi, a new material derived from corn starch. Unlike your regular plastic pens, this green pen reportedly will disintegrate in about eight months after being thrown away. A Biodegradable Corn pen is $1.99. (credit:GrassrootsStore.com)
Reusable Sandwich Bags(02 of09)
Open Image Modal
Rather than going through hundreds of plastic bags each year to keep sandwiches fresh, why not just use one reusable container or bag? Kimberley of She Scribes tested the freshness of her sandwich after five hours in a cloth Wrap-N-Mat and said it was just the same as using a plastic bag. Washable and PVC-free, these environmentally friendly wraps also double as a mat when opened. Wrap-N-Mat sandwhich bags are $7.50. (credit:Steve Baker)
Bamboo Cutlery(03 of09)
Open Image Modal
"Every year 300 billion pounds of plastic is produced around the world," according to buygreen.com. It can be easy to forget that only a fraction is actually recycled and most ends up in our landfills and waterways. Plastic Pollution Coalition has created this sweet bamboo utensil set for when you are on the go, or to include in the kid's lunch box. Even the holder is made from recycled PET plastic, and it costs $11. (credit:Douglas Farquhar)
Green Sneakers(04 of09)
Open Image Modal
Looking good while helping the planet will be the next hot thing in the playground with eco-friendly sneakers. Check out ones like these from Carport Elastic Sneakers. The rewoven wool of old sweaters from around the world has been used to create these earth-friendly shoes. These sneakers are $42. (credit:SimpleShoes.com)
Eco-Friendly Note Pads (And Poo)(05 of09)
Open Image Modal
Notepads can waste a LOT of paper. But some alternatives have gotten a bit creative ... Who said bringing elephant dung to school wouldn't be an instant hit? Soon everyone will be doing it with these notepads made from paper that is 50% fiber from poo and 50% post-consumer paper. All of Mr Ellie Pooh's products are handmade, acid free and created in an effort to reduce the conflict between elephants and humans in Sri Lanka. You can buy one for $10. (credit:AbesMarket.com)
Eco-Friendly Lunchbox(06 of09)
Open Image Modal
Part pet, part toy and planet-friendly all rolled in to a lunchbox. Available in cow or monkey designs, environmentally friendly lunch boxes like the ones from the EcoZoo series just may be saving the environment one lunch at a time. Made from organic cotton and recycled plastics, these eco-friendly lunch boxes are free of PVC health and environmental risks. EcoZoo Lunch Boxes are $19.99 each. (credit:UltimateGreenStore.com)
Reusable Water Bottles(07 of09)
Open Image Modal
Reusable water bottles are ideal for little environmentalists heading off to school. Check out products like Liberty Bottleworks Reusable Aluminum Water Bottles. These BPA-free, phthalate-free, 100% recycled aluminum water bottles are said to be safe and eco-friendly -- helping to keep those nasty plastic water bottles out of landfills. Their deep drawn aluminum construction makes them sturdier than other aluminum bottles, so it can be subject to anything that goes on in the playground and be less likely to dent. The Liberty Bottleworks Water Bottles are $15.95. (credit:reuseit.com)
Recycled Rubber Backpack (08 of09)
Open Image Modal
What else can car tires be used for? Bags of course! These backpacks are made from recycled rubber and are a great back to school alternative to the backpacks that often contain harmful PVC and may contain lead, according to the "2011 Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies." You can buy one for $74. (credit:Vulcana)
Green School Supply Kit(09 of09)
Open Image Modal
Give the kids the chance to personalize their notebooks and folders, while saving some shopping time and the environment with an eco-friendly school supply kit. These kits from ReBinder comes with CD sleeves, notebooks, folders and a three ring ReBinder that has replacements included so the binder can be customized all over again. "Each year, over 500 metric tons of toxic PVC ends up in landfills as the result of vinyl binders that people use," the ReBinder site says. All their products are made from 100% recycled fibers and made by the AbilityOne certified disabled workforce. A Rebinder School Supply Kit is $39.99. (credit:ReBinder.com)

---

Support HuffPost

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your will go a long way.

Support HuffPost
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip