| New information, skills and broadening horizons may | | | | resulted in cumulative emissions that were only |
| not be the only things our children are being exposed | | | | one-sixth of the total emissions from conventional |
| to in the modern classroom. A recent study | | | | cleaning products. |
| conducted by the Environmental Working Group in | | | | 3. Refillable, non-toxic, recyclable dry-erase markers. |
| the U.S. has revealed that cleaning supplies used in | | | | Disposable whiteboard markers are one of the top |
| schools could be polluting classroom air with more | | | | sources of toxic waste for local schools, but the |
| than 450 distinct toxic contaminants, including | | | | AusPen dry erase marker is made of 100% recycled |
| chemical agents linked to asthma and cancer. Add to | | | | aluminum, and is recyclable itself. Best of all, the |
| that the tons of wasted resources in energy, paper | | | | markers are refillable and built to last, and the ink is |
| and supplies, and we get a better picture of the | | | | non-toxic. Unlike most other whiteboard markers, |
| impact schools have on the health of children, | | | | there is no xylene in the AusPen markers, eliminating |
| teachers and ecosystems. To help sort through the | | | | the toxic fumes from the classroom that are linked |
| abundance of products on the market claiming to be | | | | to headaches, lightheadedness and fuzzy thinking. |
| 'eco-friendly' here are 5 favorite green classroom | | | | 4. Reusable lunch containers. Lunches wrapped up in |
| supplies that will help clear the air of toxins and | | | | plastic baggies and disposable containers and |
| reduce the amount of resources gobbled up in the | | | | packaging add significantly to classroom waste. |
| classroom. | | | | Creating a zero waste classroom is made easier with |
| 1. Tree-free, or 100% post-consumer waste (PCW) | | | | reusable lunch containers and products like the |
| recycled paper. The average school throws out 38 | | | | washable cotton wraps from Wrap-N-Mat that store |
| tons of paper - the equivalent of 644 trees - each | | | | your lunch and then open up to a placemat for a |
| year, so efforts to reduce and recycle paper, | | | | clean eating surface. For drinks, beware of plastic |
| coupled with purchasing 100% post-consumer waste | | | | bottles which may contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a |
| recycled paper from companies like Greenline Paper | | | | hormone-disrupting chemical. Instead go with metal |
| Company will make a big difference in a school. Many | | | | ones such as Klean Kanteeen or Sigg which also |
| products on the market like EcoPaper use tree-free | | | | come in kid-friendly sizes and designs. |
| paper created from products like banana, coffee, | | | | 5. Soy Crayons. Soybean crayons like the ones sold |
| cigar, mango, lemon, hemp, and sugar paper. | | | | through Kid Star are made with soybean oil which |
| 2. Certified cleaning products. Cleaning products that | | | | makes them non-toxic, bio-degradable and safe for |
| are certified by Green Seal and EcoLogo can emit 80 | | | | the environment (and curious mouths), unlike the |
| percent fewer contaminants into the air compared to | | | | traditional wax crayons. Prang also makes crayons |
| non-certified cleaning products. In a recent study by | | | | from soybean oil, and even offers sets in the colours |
| the Environmental Working Group, it was discovered | | | | of the skin tones of the world. Now that's a new |
| that cleaning classrooms with certified green cleaning | | | | take on going green in the classroom! |
| supplies like Marauder, Glance NA, and Alpha HP | | | | |