Back-to-School shopping with green supplies and a happy planet

It's August, a time when parents are Back-to-School shopping.

According to a National Retail Federation survey, families will spend just about $100 on back-to-school supplies this year, this includes notebooks, binders, writing instruments, backpacks and good ole lunch pails. Try to make some, or all, of your school supply purchases, "green" purchases.

The most obvious choice is to use last year's supplies, or a sibling's old supplies. But kids must have the latest in chic school accessories, so here are a few green ideas...

Eco-friendly School Bags are very popular! Pass on nylon, vinyl and other plastics, instead grab a bag made from recycled materials or natural materials, such as hemp. Will schools allow hemp bags? I swear I started to hear Jefferson Airplane in the background while typing.

Paper, paper, paper. Reach for the recycled paper and folders. And Consider the environment before printing this document is more than a tagline. :)

While preparing this story I learned that we can buy disposable pens made of recycled materials. If you can't find disposable pens, choose a pen with a refillable ink reserve, it produces less plastic trash.

Two years ago, independent tests of vinyl lunchboxes, what most soft insulated lunch boxes are made from, showed a high levels of lead. As a result, many manufacturers now have their products tested. So if your kid gets a vinyl lunchbox, make sure it is labeled "lead-safe" or "lead-free". Go Retro and use a metal lunchbox, or a popular reusable lunch tote. Some totes are reusable and recycled, from things like recycled plastic soda bottles. So when your kids complain they never get soda, point to the tote :)

http://astore.amazon.com/shopgreen-20
GREEN online shopping. Reduce Global Warming