| Clearly the classroom is the place where the future | | | | and are starting to make a comeback thanks to |
| begins to unfold. What better place than schools to | | | | sightings of celebrity toddlers with tin lunch boxes. |
| use greener, healthier products and model | | | | The stainless steel drinking container is a must, since |
| environmental sustainability? The market is teeming | | | | many reusable water bottles can leach bisphenol A |
| with earth-friendly school and office supplies, guarding | | | | (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical, and should be |
| the health of students and their teachers. Non-toxic | | | | avoided. Thermos sells plastic and steel food jars that |
| school supplies make a real difference in the quality of | | | | are BPA and PVC-free. |
| the indoor air and the level of toxins that we expose | | | | Markers and pens are one of the most commonly |
| our children to daily. Why not shut the leading polluters - | | | | discarded items in the classroom. Every year in North |
| PCVs, BPA, lead and xylene - out of class? A new | | | | America, teachers throw out over 500 million |
| generation of green school supplies can send them | | | | dry-erase markers into their local landfills, where the |
| packing. | | | | PVC plastic cylinders will never decompose. In addition, |
| Many school supplies are made out of PVC - a plastic | | | | the common chemical solvent in markers is xylene, a |
| that contains chemical additives such as phthalates, | | | | harmful neurotoxin which can be associated with |
| lead, cadmium and/or organotins. These chemicals | | | | headaches, asthma and fuzzy thinking. Non-toxic, |
| pose a threat to our health and are harmful across its | | | | refillable markers will help clear the air and cut down on |
| whole lifecycle, from production, to use, to disposal. | | | | waste. |
| Also known as the poison plastic, PVC is found in vinyl | | | | Art supplies can be a source of toxic material too. |
| products like lunchboxes, binders, markers, backpacks | | | | Modeling clays such as Fimo and Sculpey should be on |
| and rain-gear, and may take as many as four | | | | the chopping block and replaced by Crayola's |
| centuries to decompose in a landfill. Identify this | | | | PVC-free air-dry clay or Mary's Softdough, which has |
| leaching plastic by its three-arrow recycling symbol | | | | a chemical-free formula. And while the humble crayon |
| with the number 3, or the letters V or PVC. | | | | appears inoffensive, crayons made from soybean oil, |
| Here are some safer alternatives to the common | | | | like the ones from Kid Star and Prang, are non-toxic, |
| school supplies: | | | | biodegradable and safe for the environment... and |
| Binders are often coated in or made with PVC plastic. | | | | curious mouths. |
| A safer binder would be made of chipboard or | | | | As for back to school clothes shopping, certain |
| corrugated cardboard, such as the ReBinder, which | | | | retailers help take the worry out of our selections by |
| can be found online through The Green Office. Avery | | | | claiming to only carry PVC-free clothes and shoes. |
| also makes PVC-free binders and can be found at | | | | H&M, Nike and Asics products contain no PVC, while |
| Staples and Target. | | | | Jansport and Land's End backpacks and rain jackets |
| Lunchbags and wraps that are PVC and lead-free will | | | | have scrapped the poison plastic. |
| make lunch go down a little easier. Canvas or organic | | | | Whether it's a lead-free lunchbox, xylene-free marker, |
| cotton lunchbags and wraps are a food-safe | | | | BPA-free drink container, or PVC-free binders and |
| alternative, and they have the added bonus of | | | | backpacks, the choice is clear. Choosing non-toxic |
| eliminating all the waste associated with plastic baggies. | | | | school supplies pays off in the health of our schools, |
| Greenfeet, Ecobags and Reusablebags are online | | | | children and environment. This year, back to school |
| retailers that offer lunch bags and wraps, and | | | | shopping can be a little more reassuring, knowing that |
| Wrap-N-Mat stores your lunch and then opens up to a | | | | green alternatives to toxic school supplies have got |
| placemat for a clean eating surface. For a retro look, | | | | our backs. |
| tin lunch boxes like the ones from Tin Box Company | | | | |