Planet-friendly back-to-school tips that will give your kids top marks

Planet-friendly back-to-school tips that will give your kids top marks

THE time of year for back-to-school shopping has arrived, and with it, the tough decisions parents and students have to make when deciding on what products to buy. This year, Friends of the Earth (FOE) is offering tips for parents and students on how to choose back-to-school gear that’s eco-friendly and socially responsible-and that means reducing consumption and lessening social and environmental impacts.

Back-to-school spending rivals only Christmas in North America. Says FOE Executive Director Beatrice Olivastri, “If you’re going to be investing so much into this, why not make environmentally friendly choices when buying all those clothes, cosmetics, paper products, backpacks, pens and pencils? If they’re not available, we urge parents and students to ask store managers why. We hope to encourage parents and young people to think about the connection between what they buy and the environment, and what better place to start than when they’re getting ready to go back to school?”
Demanding a range of responsible “green” products is one side of the issue, however. A green school environment, says Olivastri, is also essential. Children spend an average of five to six hours a day in school, and parents should be asking about the kind of impact the buildings and grounds have on the environment and on their children’s health.

“After all,” says Olivastri, “why invest in green products if the schools our children attend are wasting energy, and are liberally using off-gassing paints, toxic cleaning chemicals and pesticides? Teaching environmentalism in class is not enough – schools need to step up and provide leadership in this arena through action.”

Student and parent groups have had great success in demanding less toxic school environments across North America. Says Olivastri, “Starting your own school environmental committee is the best guarantee that your concerns will be met, whether it’s getting your school to do something about energy efficiency, or changing the type of cleaning products they use. By working together, and by using our economic muscle, we can make greener schools and school products for our kids a reality.”

Contact Info: Beatrice Olivastri – office: 613-241-0085 x26 cell: 613-724-8690 Erin Flynn 613-724-8960 x 30; Kyle Ferguson – Environmental Communication Options @ 416-972-7401; Digital photos of Ms. Olivastri, the FOE logo and clean air mascots are also available

(PRESS RELEASE)