Living Green with Judith Davis
August 31, 2008 by Crystal
Filed under Moms Living Green
A Moms Living Green Guest Post by Judith Davis
While I was out shopping for school supplies, yes even us home school moms shop for school supplies, I was truly amazed by all the green products that are now available. I have read articles about hospitals becoming greener and wondered just how schools are approaching the topic.
Thinking of schools and the massive amounts of paper and consumables that are used amaze me. We are no different in the home school world either. But it really has me headed for a challenge this year as we try to reduce our use of consumables. It has made me think about what I can do to reduce the amount of waste in schools.
The first big thought is paper. We have tons of papers. From books to workbooks to papers printed out for research. I have to admit getting myself and my kids to view computer paper that has been printed out as a recyclable has been a struggle. We now have a paper box next to each desk to put all those papers. These are more than just papers that come off the printer. Most papers can be recycled. I am also trying to impress upon my kids that they really don’t need to print out everything they see. The computer was supposed to cut down on paper clutter, but often times this seems just the opposite. Teaching the kids to bookmark or to put their relevant notes from an article into a word document to be saved may save tons of paper a year. Just remind them to reference where they found the information as well. They can always go back and reference the material later.
As long as we are talking paper, remember that the paper we use is important. There are times when students have to print things out. Use recycled paper. It is becoming more widely available. Consider having your ink cartridge refilled as well. This cuts down on the amount of printer cartridges you use, and saves you money.
As a parent get involved with your school. See if they have a recycle program. Many time they need parents to volunteer to help out, this could be your way of helping the school and the earth. If your school doesn’t have a recycle program or a very active one, volunteer to become involved and start one. Form a team of parents who want to help teach their children that the less we use the better. That what we do use we need to use responsibly and recycle where ever we can.
The important part of teaching our children to live green is to live by example. The more our kids see us making the effort and getting involved the more they will want to.
More From CrystalJudith L. Davis is a Wisconsin-based freelance She has written various how-to and informative articles on subjects from small business to natural health. She is a certified holistic counselor, as well as an aromatherapist and nutritionist. Having received her education from a top educator in alternate medicine, Judith is writing and counseling to inform others of the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.
You can visit Judith at http://www.judithldavis.com and http://www.naturalfromhome.com/
