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How to Green Your Child. When it comes to the care and feeding of children, there are
a lot of environmentally responsible choices you can make. You will need Reusable containers
School supplies made from recycled materials Nontoxic toys An arts and crafts box or basket
A garden project and diligence in setting a good example. Step 1. Prepare eco-friendly
lunches by creating your own snack-size portions in reusable containers. If they can’t use
the school’s cutlery, pack them off with the non-disposable kind… if they can be
trusted to bring it back! Step 2. Supply your kids with notebooks made from recycled paper,
biodegradable pens, recycled pencils, and solar-powered calculators, all of which are
available online or at larger supply stores. Avoid vinyl binders; the manufacturing process
releases dangerous dioxins into the environment. Step 3. Stuff their school supplies in an
eco-friendly backpack made of recycled rubber or hemp. Step 4. Demonstrate the value of
reusing items, while at the same time stoking your kids’ creativity, by designating one
box or basket an Arts & Crafts Catchall. Encourage the whole family to toss in odds and ends
that might be useful in an art project — scraps of paper, pieces of ribbon & string, parts
of discarded or broken toys, & empty paper rolls. Step 5. Grow something with your child.
If you can manage a small vegetable patch, great. But even a small windowsill herb garden
will impart lessons on the joys of fresh, homegrown food. Step 6. Teach your children
by word and deed. Explain to them why you bring your own shopping totes to the supermarket
and don’t leave the water running while your brush your teeth. If you’re consistent,
eco-friendly choices will become a way of life for them, too. Did you know Over a billion
pounds a year of waste comes from lunch box garbage!