Thank you FHE Insiders for sponsoring today’s post.
That time of year has come again! The kids are heading back to school and they are filled with excitement to see their friends and experience new things. The new school year is a new beginning filled with new teachers, experiences, and lessons. You can start off in the right direction by being environmentally friendly in your preparations for this school year. Take some advice from the Leafmen and follow these ten tips for going green to ensure you have an EPIC school year!
10 Green Tips for Back to School
1. Before heading to the store in search of supplies, take inventory of what items are left over from last year that can still be used this time around. Shopping for school can be exciting with all of the bright, fun items! Try to make sure you aren’t forgetting what you came for and don’t buy any unnecessary products that will go to waste.
2. When you have reduced your list of school supplies to the necessities, ensure that you think about what you buy. Look for pens and pencils that can be refilled or supplies that are made from recycled product. Read the labels and make smart decisions to help preserve the magic of Moonhaven!
3. There are so many ways to decrease the pollutants created by getting to and from school each day! If your child’s school has a bussing system, let them take the bus with their neighborhood friends each day. For older kids who live close to school, walking or biking each day not only provides them with exercise, but also completely eliminates any pollution from cars.
4. The Leafmen made their own clothes and armor from natural products to help protect the environment. You can also make a difference with your clothes by arranging a clothing swap party with some of your kids’ friends!
Everyone will walk away with new clothes and a happy conscience when they realize they are helping the environment!
5. The end of the day can be quite hectic as you run around dropping kids off at various after school activities! You can save your sanity and the earth by setting up a carpool schedule with other parents. Bonus: your kids will love the extra time with their friends!
6. When packing lunch for your little ones, keep the residents of Moonhaven on your mind. Invest in reusable water bottles, lunch boxes, and food containers. The kids will probably have tons of fun picking out lunch supplies with fun patterns and themes! Buying these products will also conserve tons of unnecessary waste!
7. The packaging isn’t the only part of lunch you can change to become more green! Send healthy, eco-friendly snacks and lunches with your little ones each day. Things like local, organic fruits and veggies are a great addition to your kids’ lunch!
8. In Epic, Queen Tara wears a gorgeous dress made from flower petals and leaves! You can get creative like her by changing the style of your backpack! Instead of purchasing a new bag every year, have a craft day and let your kids change up their bag with patches, paint, or other supplies.
9. Find out if your school already has a recycling program in place. If they don’t, take a stand and help set one up for each classroom! If recycling is already part of the plan, be sure to inform your own kids of the benefits of recycling so that they will participate!
10. Consider buying used books for your young students! Look online for gently used books or visit a local bookstore. This tip benefits students from grade school through college, when textbooks get extra expensive!
About Epic
From the creators of Ice Age, the year’s funniest, most exhilarating animated adventure comes home as EPIC debuts on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Deluxe Edition Blu-ray, and DVD this August 20 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Directed by Chris Wedge (The Ice Age Franchise) and featuring an amazing voice cast including Colin Farrell, Amanda Seyfried, Christoph Waltz, Jason Sudeikis, Steven Tyler, Pitbull, and Beyoncé, the blockbuster film comes home just in time to help families become one with nature and end the summer in Epic style.
To celebrate the August 20th release of Epic I have two fun freebies to share with you:
Epic Bookmarks
{right click to open in a new window and print!}
Eco-friendly Lunch Ideas
Disclosure: I will also receive this product as a member of Fox Home Entertainment Insiders.
I like the idea for reuseable lunchbox and cloth napkins. they can also use a thermos so it doesnt get thrown out.
I will be using the reuseable lunchbox for my child.
Lots of rest the week before to get back into the school hours
We’re packing a lunch this year and using resusable baggies and containers.
We use re-usable containers for lunches to go 🙂
I’ll be letting my kiddos take the bus home instead of sitting in the pickup line everyday!
I like arranging a clothing swap party with some of your kids’ friends!
Everyone will walk away with new clothes and a happy conscience when they realize they are helping the environment!
I reuse supplies from last year if they’re in good shape.
Reuse backpacks and lunch boxes!
I will be using a reusable lunch box instead of paper lunch bags and send a spoon instead of plastic spoons
kport207 at gmail dot com
we don’t use plastic baggies, I purchased fabric eco friendly bags
If my kids were small I like the idea of reusable containers for lunch.
I am going to try to send my son’s lunch in washable and re-usable containers.
Very good tips! This is the first year we are actually back to school since my kids were always homeschooled. My daughter’s going to college this year and my son to 10th grade. He did take 2 classes last year, so we are reusing his backpack, pencils, and whatever else we can!
I’ll be taking inventory of what I already have.
Send kids with reusable stainless steel water bottles instead of plastic which is harmful to the environment and to one’s body.
Reusable containers for lunches and wearing hand me down clothes.
WHEN MY SON WERE IN SCHOOL WE CARPOOLED. IT WAS GREAT AND A TIME AND MONEY SAVER.
reusable lunch containers and a clothing swap with friends.
I wish we could do the bus in our neighborhood but the citywide busing isn’t until my son is a year older….:(
Use a reusable bottle for water.
I will be using step 2 which is to pack his lunch in reusable and washable containers.
I will re use lunch boxes for school lunches
I will be using Tip #10 – Consider buying used books for your young students!
I like the tip to use reusable lunch containers and drink containers. If you can get your child to bring them home.
reusable lunchbox
love the one about the lunch box my youngest only wants to pack all the time
I love my kids reusable lunch boxes with the built in compartments.
Reusing lunch boxes is a good one
My Tip Is To Use A Reusable Lunch Bag Or Box When Packing Lunches.
I’ll be using all the steps listed. Want to do all I can to help out!
I will be buying used textbooks this year.
We always use containers that can be reused for other things.
We use reusable sandwich bags and cloth napkins.
I discard food waste in compost bins rather than in trash sent to a landfill.
Invest in reusable lunch products and when it is pretty we walk too school its not too far at all
reusable containers for sandwixches and drinks
We use reusable, plastic sandwich containers as well as snacks.
I will use a reusable container for my daughter’s snacks 🙂
I bought a nice backpack for my daughter with a lifetime guarantee so that I can keep using it for many years. Her backpacks last year kept breaking and I kept having to buy new ones. 🙁
Reusable lunch box, and containers, no plastic forks!.
I’m a big believer in using reusable snack and sandwich bags or plastic containers for school lunches.
We reuse the plastic little bags also, that the kid’s take to school with them.
I like the reuse containers
Dont waste money on book covers, use old paper bags
clothing swap. My son wears uniforms when he out grows them i bag them up and freecycle them to someone else. Others give us outgrown clothes for my son.
Investing in reusable lunch bag, water bottle and food containers is a MUST!
I really like the tip #3!
When my daughter was in school we used reusable lunch bag and we put her food in reusable containers.
We use recyclable paper, and paper bags for lunch.
I’d like to try watertight plastic water bottles this year
We are green by using the Tip #5. A bunch of us neighbors carpool to save on gas, to reduce pollution and just to let other moms have a break.
I try to always use re-useable containers in their lunch instead of plastic baggies and juice boxes.
the water bottle
We reuse lunch containers and always use hand me downs. We only buy what it necessary
water bottle one is great tip
We are reusing last years lunch bag.
I like the idea of a clothing swap. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
I will use the reusable lunch box.
My son brings his water bottle home everyday in his lunchbox, and we use it over and over again to send kool aid in it.
We are using reusable zippered pouches instead of baggies!!
We use reusable lunch containers and water bottles
using reuseable containers and packaging for my kids sandwiches and snacks!
I like tip 3
I reuse supplies from last year if they’re in good shape.
We reuse a lot of things from last year. Folders and binders, clothes that still fit and are in good shape, ect. We also pack eco friendly lunches with reusable containers. Thanks!
My niece shares her old books with her cousins 🙂
I will send my kids to school with aluminium water bottles
I try pack natural healthy snacks with reusable containers.
We are reusing their Book Bags from last year!
I’m with pretty much everyone else on the reusable lunch boxes. I also like the idea of carpooling for after school activities. Time to start collaborating with more parents 🙂
Thanks for all of the great tips!
Sending drinks in reusable containers is a great idea!
We will be packing lunches in reusable containers and cloth bags as well as reusable water bottles.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
We participate in the recycling program at my kids school!
Reuseable containers for lunch is always a good idea
I definitely agree with using reusable containers and silverware. Even reusable condiments containers.
thanks
Packing lunches and using a thermos.
We use reuseable containers.
re-useable sandwich and snack containers
My husband & I have been recycling everything for years now.
Start shopping early, don’t wait until the last minute!
My sons use a lunchbox not a paper bag for their lunches. Trying to get them to use containers instead of plastic bags.
I will reuse the lunchbox and use a water bottle.
I use reusable lunch containers and a lunch box instead of sacks and plastic baggies.
We reuse water bottles and I will definitely unplug!
Reusable lunch bags and water bottles.
The tip I use is it to carpool with 3 other moms.
I use reusable sandwich bags. I bought two for my son and this is his third year using them. They are wonderful and eco friendly.
We use tip number 6.