Green back-to-school tips for every age

Aug 14, 2012 9:00 AM by Michelle Maffei

Posted in Parenting / Parenting Tips & Advice / Children's School & Education

Focus on kid-friendly green family tips

The message that the planet may be in peril is a big pill to swallow, especially when you're a kid. When trying to get your youngsters interested in becoming eco-friendly kids when heading back to the classroom, keep the lesson both simple and relatable. "Too often environmental education is all 'doom and gloom' — melting ice caps, disappearing honey bees, dying polar bears — but this only works to scare kids, not inspire or motivate them to make a difference," shares Albe Zakes, global vice president, media relations for TerraCycle, Inc. "Instead, making environmental responsibility fun, engaging, interactive — even a 'game' — is a far more effective way to get kids interested and motivated to do their part."

Engage kids with results they can see

According to treehugger.com, each student generates 240 pounds of waste and 18,760 pounds of lunch waste each year. But, how do you translate that into something tangible kids can understand? "Kids like to be able to see the impact of their actions," says Zakes. "Like all humans, they have relatively short attention spans and memories. Cleaning up a local water way or park allows them to take personal pride in the outcome, even doing a DIY or art project with recycled materials allows them to show off their work to family or friends. This personal connection will help drive more responsible behavior in the future."

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Discover green back-to-school tips kids can do themselves

Turn off lights and electronics in the classroom when not in use; "Schools across the country are saving energy thanks to student participation," said Alliance to Save Energy Spokesperson Allyson Schmutter. "Alliance to Save Energy PowerSave Schools save between 5-15% on electricity costs, and that couldn't happen without the leadership from enthusiastic, committed and empowered students who learn the obvious benefits of saving energy"
Take good care of your backpack, folders and other school supplies to help them last longer as well as save you money
Use pens and pencils until they are unusable
Recycle items in the classroom like empty glue bottles, crayon boxes, tissue boxes and more as suggested by Ryan Elizabeth Draughon, age 10, on her green living website www.earth-is-healthy.com
Use every blank page in your notebook before buying more
Pick back-to-school products that are made with recycled content or made from sustainable harvested wood
Pick up a backpack made of green materials such as organic cotton or hemp or one made of recycled materials like TerraCycle's school products
Help organize a recycling program at your school if it doesn't have one already
Stick with reusable lunch boxes and utensils and avoid individually packaged foods
Walk or ride your bike or scooter to school

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While green back-to-school tips for every age can inspire kids to give back to Mother Earth, you can encourage children to become eco-friendly kids by setting a good example. Join in on their environmental efforts and become a green family, seeking out tips on how to incorporate sustainable living into your household and help kids of any grade level know that they, too, can make a difference, even when going back to school.