Tree Hugging Family » Green Schools

Make your own waste-free lunch kit!

Jennifer — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:00:53 +0000

You know how we’ve been chatting about saving money on green goods lately? Well, one big way to save on green good is to do it yourself, make it yourself, and use recycled goods to do it with. For example, another big topic here as of late has been reusable, waste-free lunches. Now, while I doubt you’re gonna go out and somehow make a reusable bottle, you can make other components of an eco-friendly lunch kit all on your own. Make the items below. Add silverware and a water bottle and your kid will be good to go for the year.

This amazingly easy and cute reusable sandwich wrap was made by Betz White, author of Sewing Green and she’ll show you how to make it step by step.

Make some Cloth Snack Bags.

Make a lunch box out of an old Nintendo – yeah it’s true.

Oilcloth Lunch Bag Tutorial – so cool and you can reuse an old tablecloth.

Reusable-Upcycled Lunch bag – made with a reycled bird seed bag.

Make a lunch bag out of old jeans.

Make a sweet as candy Vintage Pillowcase Lunchbox.

Make some other eco-friendly snack bags.

Make your own insulated lunch bag.

Make an ADORABLE burlap bag! So flipping cute you will faint. This one was made of an old coffee bag, but you could use any sort of burlap.

Add in some homemade cloth napkins.

NOTE: Since most homemade lunch sacks are fabric, don’t forget to make some little reusable covers for your ice packs or your bags will get too wet. Basically, make an ice pack cover like you would a snack or sandwich bag.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Why have green curriculum in schools?

Jennifer — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:25:11 +0000

According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) a green school is a “School building or facility that creates a healthy environment conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money. Green schools are built and/or operate with the goals of sustainability in mind.”

There are many elements that make up the whole of a green school – energy efficiency, recycling, school gardening and composting, sustainable materials, transportation, and indoor air quality. All of these are important, but none are quite as important as actually teaching kids about the environment. You can have a super charged green school, but if you’re not making sure kids know about all these elements that make up a green school and learn about the benefits of green living, the school is missing a major point.

Benefits of a greener curriculum:

Environmental curriculum can easily be incorporated into all subject areas, from math and science to English and art. All aspects of life and learning can be made more eco-friendly, so options for curriculum planning are endless.
Kids naturally swing toward eco-issues. Science fair administrators note that without prodding, about 40% of all kid planned science fair projects relate to the environment.
Now is when kids need to learn about the environment. It’s good if you’re a parent teaching eco-ethcis in the home, but unless you homeschool or unschool, your kids spend more time per day with their teachers and schools then you (in most cases). This is a large part of their world that can either teach or not teach green.
According to the Earth Day Network, research has found that schools that teach core subjects using an environmental context have “Reduced discipline and classroom management problems, increased engagement and enthusiasm for learning and greater student pride and ownership in accomplishments.“
When students have a more positive eco-experience at school it transfers to their family, the community, their friends and more which raises overall awareness of environmental issues and their solutions.

If your kids aren’t involved with green learning at school, it’s up to you as a parent to advocate that your school bring in some green lesson plans. If you don’t yet think green education matters read the book Earth in Mind; it’ll change the way you think about education.

Get other parents on board and take your concerns to the school board. If your school needs suggestions and help with planning for a green curriculum, offer up the following resources.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Cedar’s Lunch Box Choice – Not What I Thought

Jennifer — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:01:41 +0000

Yesterday I posted some eco-lunch kit choices and said that my son Cedar was going to have to choose one. Then I said I’d be back with the results. I had an idea about which he’d choose, but instead, like a typical kid, he decided to TOTALLY surprise me.

I showed him all the choices, and he looked them up and down, and sideways, and made me read him the stats about them. He’s eight, and he’s saying, “So what does that bag measure?” For pete’s sake. Anyhow, his decision…

You won’t believe it:

He says, “I think I’ll just stick with the Bamboo Bag.” WHAT! Just to clarify, a week ago when his lunch bag broke, all we had around was that Bamboo Lunch Sack I recently reviewed, so I had to pack his lunch in that. Here’s Cedar a week ago:

“Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!” Don’t make me take it to camp! It’s not coooooooooooooooooooooool!“
“I don’t like Bamboo – even if it is a tree!” I know it’s not a tree, but he’s 8, so…
“Why is it so green!? I want a blue lunch bag.“

But all of a sudden last night he’s on the Bamboo Lunch Sack train? Huh? I say, “You said you hated it, you said, find me a better one, what the flip is up?” To which he replies, “I’ve decided I like Bamboo. It’s soft and you can’t have it back.” Well then!

I don’t know why I bother sometimes. In any case, I don’t have to buy a new bag right away, although, as previously mentioned, this bag is not ice pack friendly so I likely will buy the non-toxic ice pak and sweat free cover I mentioned yesterday.

Kids right?

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Which green lunch set is best – lunch according to Cedar

Jennifer — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:59:34 +0000

So, Cedar’s lunch sack died this summer. He’s currently using the Bamboo lunch sack for camp, but it’s not appropriate for a kid all year at school I don’t think. One recent con I’ve found is that because it’s cloth, ice packs act badly in there (see an updated review).

In any case, Cedar my son is super picky about stuff. Clothes, toys, books, and so on, so I knew choosing a lunch pack wouldn’t be easy, but it’s actually been harder then I thought. He’s snubbed some eco-lunch kits as not cool enough already and our options are wavering. Of course I want eco-friendly, so I decided to post on it. I’ll choose some that I think Cedar will like and after let him choose. Along the way maybe you’ll see something you like for your kid. NOTE: Cedar is very boy – so all these will be ‘boy’ type kits. Later maybe I’ll post a girl friendly bunch…

Laptop Lunch System in Periwinkle: Cedar already gave this kit a color thumbs up, but he doesn’t like the water bottle. I told him fine, use your Kleen Kanteen. This kit comes with the Laptop Lunch insulated carrying case, water bottle, the Laptop Lunch Bento Box with all inner containers and utensils, and one copy of The Laptop Lunch User’s Guide. All Laptop Lunch products are phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and lead free. If he gets this lunch set, I’ll probably also pick up an extra set of interior containers.

Waste Free Lunch Kit: I like this kit, but I’m guessing that Cedar won’t like the bag color. He might though. Who knows. Because this bag is cloth, if he picks it, I’ll have to also get the non-toxic ice pak and sweat free cover (shown above as well) – a non-toxic green ice pack in a Squiggle cover made from plastic bottles. All Kid Konserve products are made from safe, non-leaching, bisphenol-A free (BPA) lead free and phthalate free materials.

The bag I think Cedar will like best so far is the ACME Bags – Recycled PET Medium Thermal “6 Pack” Lunch Bag – it’s boring but basic, which he’ll like. Perks include…

90% post-consumer recycled content
Made from recycled plastic bottles & containers
100% lead-free materials
Zipper closure and exterior slip pocket
Thermal insulation keeps contents colder longer
Made with Fair Labor/Fair Wage

Fleurville Lunch Pak in silver digital camo. Can be worn as a back pack or carried with handle.

Closed-cell insulation throughout the entire body of the bag works as an insulator.
Easy to clean lining.
Hidden name tag.
Heat reflective, easy to clean lining.
Project pocket.
Exceeds CA Prop 65 standards for lead and other toxins
PVC-free/Teflon®-free

These are the most Cedar + earth friendly I found. I’ll let him take a look then I’ll be back later to let you know which pack wins the cool factor for this picky kid. My vote is with the laptop lunch kit, but I’m still guessing he’ll pick the ACME bag. We’ll see.

Which bag would your child like best do you think?

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Healthy & Natural College Care Packages

Jennifer — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:36:21 +0000

If you’ve got a kid headed off to college this year, you may be considering sending a college care pack. Or if you’re a college student maybe you want to have some nice snacks mailed right to your dorm.

Dorm-Sweet-Dorm offers unique and healthier College Care Packages than the typical fare. College care packs are nice for students but not if they’re filled with junk food. Natural and wholesome energy foods are so much better for college students trying to work through tough classes.

Dorm-Sweet-Dorm offers care packages with food and other supplies, for example…

VORACIOUS VEGAN care package – an additive, dye-free, chemical free care pack of organic vegan snacks.

Good Health Natural Foods Sweet Potato Chips
Newman’s-O’s Mint Creme Filled Chocolate Cookies
Garden of Eatin’ Black Bean Chili Chips
Enjoy Life Soft Baked Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Newman’s NS Organic Microwave Popcorn
Yummy Earth Organic Fruit Lollipops
Made in Nature Organic Raisins
Bare Fruit 100% Organic Bake-Dried Cinnamon Apple Chips
Fruitabu Grape roll ups
Eden Organics Mixed Fruits and Nuts
AND more

SUDZ-N-SUCH – for college dorm laundry ease. All products are clean and clear and free of all perfumes and dyes as well as biodegradable, phosphate-free, chlorine-free and NPE-free.

Dropps 20 load-count
A 100% Organic Cotton heavyweight Canvas Laundry Bag
Sewing Kit
On The Spot Stain Removing Pen by Sun and Earth
80-Count Citrus Fabric Softener Sheets by Sun and Earth
Mia Rose Air Therapy Spray

ECO TOTAL CLEAN-UP KIT – comes with all the shower goods a college kid needs.

Triple Razor w/2 cartridges by Recycline
Hemp Washcloth
Shaving Cream by Alba Botanicals
Jason Aloe Vera Hand and Body Lotion
Toothpaste by Tom’s of Maine SLS Free
Dr. Mist Spray Deodorant
Cranberry Floss
Lip Balm by Save Your World
Natural Wooden Comb
And more…

Dorm-Sweet-Dorm also uses boxes and packing materials that are made from 100% post consumer waste and labels are biodegradable/compostable and printed with soy ink.

Visit Dorm-Sweet-Dorm to learn more.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Back to school the green way!

Jennifer — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 06:41:20 +0000

School is starting up soon and it’s time to start planning your green school efforts. Tree Hugging Family has covered a lot of school topics here already, but this year I’ll be bringing in some new cool ideas, green school gear, and tips. If you’ve got a specific question about greening your school experience (for you or the kids) this year, this would be a good time to ask. Leave a question in the comments and I’ll try to cover it soon.

That said, before we take off for the 2009-2010 school year, let’s look at some past resources plus a few new ones…

Green school basics:

Green education for the smallest tree huggers:

Green your college experience:

Green school gear:

Green your school lunch:

[image via stock.xchng]

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Green Product Review: 100% Bamboo Lunch Bag

Jennifer — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:11:10 +0000

Now that fall is quickly coming up on us, you’ll need to find your kids a nice lunch bag or lunch box. Preferably a sustainable option. Today I’ve got a review of one option…

Product: Environmentally-Friendly 100% Bamboo Lunch Bag from New Wave Enviro Products

Basics: 100% Bamboo Lunch Bag; reusable, good for kids or adults.

Cost: $17.79

Eco-perks:

Waste-Free Lunches notes on average one school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. That’s about 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for just one average-size elementary school. Reusable lunch sacks cut down on this incredible waste.

Bamboo is one of the more sustainable fabrics available. Bamboo Fabric Store notes, “Bamboo (unlike cotton) takes in five times the volume of greenhouse gasses as an equivalent stand of timber trees and releases 35% more oxygen. It needs no replanting, pesticides or fertilizers, and its roots retain water in the watershed, sustaining riverbanks and reducing water pollution.”

Bamboo is naturally anti-microbial. According to research by Japan Textile Inspection Association, after factoring in processing and fifty washes, bamboo fabrics still retain their anti-fungal, anti-bacterial nature.

What I think:

Product pros…

This lunch sack is sooooooo super soft. It’s really lightweight but large enough to hold plenty of food in containers and even a small water bottle. I like the eco-perks obviously as well. There’s a heavy-weight snap that keeps the lunch sack closed and the handles are perfectly sized for kids. The bag seems well made and can be hand washed with mild soap. I also like that the bottom of the bag opens square and flat, not rounded like a bag.

Product cons…

The handles are too short for adult shoulder wear, but I still think this bag works well for adults, you just need to carry it by the handles. There’s only one color choice (green – shown above). I’m not sure how this bamboo is processed which does make a difference when it comes to sustainability. I’m also unsure if this bamboo is organically grown. Although New Wave Enviro Products notes that this bamboo is grown without chemicals or pesticides, the bag is not certified by Oeko-Tex, Soil Association, SKAL, or KRAV (the best way to know if your bamboo is sustainable). If it is certified it’s not noted anywhere at the website or on the product itself.

I also don’t think that the packaging is made with recycled materials. It comes in a simple cardboard package that is recyclable, yet the packaging notes this nowhere (they should), and they could use recycled content cardboard too.

Overall score:

Three out of five trees. If this bamboo was certified and if the packaging was more eco-friendly I’d have given this bag five trees because it’s handy, large enough for lunch, and anti-bacterial bamboo. However, it looses two points for the above mentioned issues. Still, I’d recommend it as a decent option for a waste-free lunch bag.

UPDATE!!!: After further use, I’m taking off another half point. This lunch sack is not ice pack friendly which seriously limits the food items you can pack. Because it’s cloth, the ice packs get all leaky in here.

Learn more at New Wave Enviro Products or buy it at Atlantis Natural.

See more eco-lunch options…

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Earth-friendly child care options

Jennifer — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:52:03 +0000

There aren’t many eco-friendly child care centers around… yet. Here in my state (Oregon) we have The Eco-Healthy Child Care (EHCC) program which follows up with centers and makes sure that certified (or endorsed) centers are as environmentally healthy as possible.

Child care facilities in Oregon can qualify as “Eco-Healthy” by completing a checklist that highlights 25 simple green steps such as…

Eliminating pesticides from lawn play areas.
Keeping air quality clean and non-toxic.
No smoking.
No aerosols of any kind.
Non-toxic art supplies used.
Low-VOC paints used for walls and furniture.
PVC free toys only.
Recycling programs in place.
And more.

Eco-Healthy providers who are endorsed must be committed to reducing children’s exposure to toxins and other environmental health hazards. Endorsed programs are listed on the website. Oregon currently has over 1000 endorsed eco-healthy child care programs, but what about if you don’t live in Oregon?

You can do a basic search; type in “YOUR AREA HERE eco-friendly child care” and some options may come up.
You can use the low impact living eco child care search function.
You can grab the Oregon checklist and make it available to child care providers in your area.

Hopefully soon, as parents demand healthy changes, more states will realize the importance of eco-friendly child care options.

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Most Sustainable Colleges in the U.S. and Canada

Jennifer — Sun, 03 May 2009 19:29:17 +0000

If you’ve got kids who are interested in finding a green college or you’re considering heading back to school, GreenReportCard.org will come in handy. GreenReportCard.org rates hundreds of U.S. and Canadian schools on their sustainability and then provide consumers with in-depth sustainability profiles to browse.

The site rates colleges on issues like…

Administration and policy.
Climate change impact and energy use.
Food and recycling issues.
Green building aspects.
Student involvement when it comes to green issues.
Transportation.
And more.

I looked up one of the colleges I attended, the University of New Mexico (UNM), and it got a grade of B in 2009, higher than in 2008, which is good, but an A of course would be better. The guide averages scores so you can look for the issues that matter most to you. For example UNM got an A for climate change and energy issues for actions like purchasing renewable energy credits and because they have a great sustainability council with a carbon neutral task force that implements strategies for reducing carbon emissions from campus buildings and transportation. On the other hand they got a C for building issues for things like not reaching LEED goals and not using energy saving light bulbs in the buildings.

THE WORST & BEST GREEN COLLEGES:

Some of the best sustainable colleges overall include; Oberlin College, Columbia University, University of Colorado, University of Vermont, and more. 15 schools in all tied for top scores (A-). Four colleges tied for the worst possible score (F) – Bryant University, Hillsdale College, Brigham Young University, and Howard University.

GreenReportCard.org allows you to search for schools by name, location, and other features or you can do side-by-side comparisons. The site is easy to use and a great way to choose a sustainable education experience. Check out GreenReportCard.org today if you’re choosing a college soon.

Or just go check out your old college then come back here and tell me how they rated.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Roundup of Green School Posts

Peggy — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:00:26 +0000

We’re going to kick off a new theme in September, and it’s sure to be a very fun one. Before that, here are all the green school posts from August in one nice little pile for you.

Lunches:
Green Your Child’s Lunch
Earth friendly lunch boxes
Simple Organic Cotton Lunch Bags
Waste-Free School Lunches
Metal Lunch Boxes
Avoid Vinyl Lunch Boxes

Supplies:
Tree Free Notebooks
Earth-friendly Pens & Pencils
Recycled & Sustainable Pencil Cases
PaperBackSwap — Send & Receive Used Books for School or Just Fun
Stubby Pencil Studio
Backpacks – Do you really need a new one?

Clothing:
Ultimate Organic Tees for Back to School
Green Tee Review: Mine Organics
Turn Old Sneakers into a Playground
Organic Cotton Socks and Hankies from Kasper Organics

College:
Green Dorm Shopping List
Eco Dorm Decor & Storage Ideas
Create A Green College Dorm
Green College Chats

Other Tips:
Past Tips for Greening Your School Experience
Just In Time for School: the We Can Change the World Challenge
Green Your Homeschooling & Unschooling Experience
School & Homeschool Eco-Slanted Field Trip Ideas
Quick Green School Tip: Green Fundraisers
LEED for Schools
One Small Step: Online School Newsletter
Eco Education Resource
Natural Help for Students with ADHD

Have you finished all your back to school shopping?

Image via flickr.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in August 2008

Post from: Tree Hugging Family