One way to go green this fall is to take a hard look at the impact behind the tradition of loading up on new stuff for September.  This is a perfect opportunity to help kids learn the difference between things we need and things we want.

    Green your wardrobe.  Discover the wonderful wide world of "thrifting".  Thrifting is the act of shopping for clothes or various other items at second hand stores.  This not only saves money, but also saves the environment at the same time.

     For school items, like backpacks, binders, etc., consider reusing last year’s. When buying new, consider the following:

• Look for products made from environmentally sustainable materials.  A 'sustainable product' is one which minimizes its impact on the environment at each phase of its life cycle.

• When buying paper goods, notebooks, binders, pencils, rulers etc. always look for products with the highest post-consumer waste content.

• Did you know most crayons are made from petroleum? Look for non-toxic crayons that don’t contain petroleum.

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