Going Green for Back-to-School
By Jeff Meeter
It’s that time of year again… back to school! While the fun of summer may be drawing to a close, the excitement of a new school year lies just ahead.
A new academic year brings new teachers, new friends, and new knowledge with which to view the world. In the spirit of positive change, we thought we’d share some facts we came across in an effort to inspire new ways of going green this year:
- 240 pounds of waste are generated per student each year
- 18,760 pounds of lunch waste is created per year by one elementary school
- 69 percent of kids who live less than a mile from school who do not walk there regularly
- 60,000 gallons of gasoline would be saved each day if 6 percent of those who drive less than a mile would walk instead
So, what can you and your family do to reduce your footprint this year? Here are a few simple steps that will make this fall just a little greener:
- Pedal power. If you live within a reasonable distance from your school, consider having your kids ride their bike. Here’s a great resource to help keep them comfortable and safe along the way: Kidshealth.org
- Turn that brown bag green. As you can see, the waste from a lunch can really add up. So why not ditch the brown bag and go green? Consider a PVC-free insulated lunch bag made from recycle juice boxes, or opt for the traditional lunch box – as long as it’s not made from vinyl (shown to contain lead). While you’re at it, you can also cut back on waste by substituting those disposable sandwich baggies with a reusable Wrap-n-Mat.
- If it’s not broken, don’t replace it. If you can, try to resist the urge to rush out to all the back-to-school sales and reload on school supplies. If possible, reuse last year’s supplies – it’s easier on the wallet and the environment!
If it’s obsolete, don’t trash it.
That old computer that’s collecting dust in your closet may be taking up valuable space, but that doesn’t mean it’s destined for the landfill. If you’re upgrading this fall, take a look into recycling your hardware through an eCycling service listed with the EPA. And should that computer be somewhat functional, consider giving it a new life with either RetroBox or FreeGeek, who build computers out of salvaged parts.
While going green is a great way to start off the year, there’s no reason to stop there! Keep checking back with KidZui newsletter for further features on maintaining a green lifestyle all year round.
Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, HealthySchoolLunches.org, wasteonline.org.uk, americabikes.org, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge – A few more weeks left!
This summer Scholastic, together with Save the Children’s U.S. Programs and the National Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University, is challenging kids to read for fun, for their team and for a good cause. The Scholastic Summer Challenge (http://www.scholastic.com/summer) is the online destination for summer reading. With a robust online community for kids, expert advice for parents and free teaching resources for librarians and educators, this is one challenge everyone can enjoy! Why Summer Reading? As Malcolm Gladwell pointed out in his best-selling book Outliers, “America doesn’t have a school problem, it has a summer vacation problem.” Research shows:
• Kids who don’t read four or more age-appropriate books over the summer are more likely to fall victim to the “Summer Slide,” the common loss of skills due to being out of school over the summer.
• Low income students experience an average summer learning loss in reading achievement of over two months, a greater loss than that of their higher income peers.
• The primary reason kids say they don’t read for fun more often is that they have trouble finding books they like.
“All kids need opportunities over the summer to practice what they’ve learned during the school year,” said Ron Fairchild, Executive Director of the National Center for Summer Learning. “Programs that encourage kids to read age-appropriate books that interest them are a great way to keep kids learning over the summer.”
“Summer reading is a perfect, low-cost activity that helps keep students’ learning skills strong,” said Francie Alexander, Chief Academic Officer at Scholastic. “The Scholastic Summer Challenge gives kids a chance to read what they want to read, connect with other readers in a safe online community, and help children in need.”
What is the Scholastic Summer Challenge for Kids?
This summer, kids ages eight and up can log on to www.scholastic.com/summer to read for fun, play games and help children in need. Here’s how: once they accept the Challenge, they take a fun quiz that sorts them into one of four color teams, joining other kids from across the country and the world to record their minutes spent reading, earn points for their team, play games and chat about books. All summer long kids will be learning about critical issues kids face in the areas of early childhood development, literacy, physical activity, nutrition and emergency preparedness and response, which are at the core of Save the Children’s work in the U.S. At the end of the summer, Scholastic will make a financial contribution to Save the Children’s U.S. Programs on behalf of all the participating readers and the winning Summer Challenge team will vote on which issue Save the Children works on receives an extra donation!
“We are thrilled that this program not only gets kids reading but also educates them about some of the challenges faced by other kids across the country,” said Mark Shriver, Vice President and Managing Director of Save the Children’s U.S. Programs. “Today one in six kids lives in poverty.
With the Summer Challenge, Scholastic is taking an important leadership role in uniting the next generation and instilling a greater sense of responsibility to one another.” At the Scholastic Summer Challenge, kids can also: • Take fun quizzes and multiply their points • Unlock new games and earn even more points
• Apply their points to the Scholastic Book Fairs’ “Read for the World Record!”
• Watch awesome celebrity shout-out videos including: The Naked Brothers Band, Lil’ Mama and Keke Palmer from True Jackson, VP on Nickelodeon
• See exclusive content about favorite authors and books
• Chat about favorite books like The 39 Clues and Harry Potter
• Post book reviews on the Summer Challenge review blog
• Enter sweepstakes for the chance to win prizes In addition, kids can enter to for a chance to win sweepstakes for books from Scholastic, a free annual membership to Kidzui, the Internet for kids, and free bonus points from SmartyCard, redeemable for real rewards.
Back to School! 10 Ways to Save Money
By Owen West
Saying goodbye to summer camps, afternoons at the pool, sports in the neighborhood, timeouts and starting a new school year can be exciting, nerve racking, and expensive. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be expensive, with a few tips and tricks used by the most experienced of school goers we all can save on back to school shopping.
1. Make a list of what each child needs
Many schools will provide parents with lists of what the child needs for the school year. The list can be a great place to start but don’t forget about clothing, shoes, and other things they need for school that wont be included on the list. Even if the school doesn’t provide you with a list just write out what the child will need for the first few months of school.
2. Inventory what you have
Everyone made due last year and it’s a matter of finding what you have and assessing its condition. Much of the school equipment may be under a bed long forgotten about, but the effort of finding it is well worth it. Go through the list writing what they have, its condition, and if your child would use it next year.
3. Categorize by needs and wants
Some items on the list will be “must haves”, others will be “wants”, and a few will be “wants real bad”. Go threw the list item by item and determine if it needs to be purchased now. Making a detailed list can be a pain, but is well worth it in terms of savings and shopping ease.
4. Do your research
Keep an eye out for ads from your local retailers. The ads are available in newspapers, online, and in the front of the store. Collect the ads and go through them looking for your “must haves” and “wants real bad”.
5. Shop everywhere
Searching online and in dollar stores will let you get more for your money. Great deals can be found on Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and even through Google searches. Be careful, Walmart.com may have significantly lower prices than Walmart stores and the local stores wont price match the website. Amazon.com also features used items and you can buy for much cheaper. Dollar stores may have a bad reputation, but give them a try, you’ll be surprised that they have similar quality items for much cheaper.
6. Shop at the right times
Many states have a sales tax holiday on school supplies for a small period of time. You can see if your state has a tax holiday at: taxadmin.org (http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/sales_holiday.html)
7. Stick to the list!
Resist going off your list or buying more than a few months worth. Stores are designed to make you purchase more than you planned, you will be temped and the aisle is not the place to make buying decisions. Don’t try to buy for the whole year, but if you do, keep the extra in a safe place where it wont get ruined, lost, or misused.
8. Don’t open it!
Don’t let your kids rip the tags off their new cloths or open up all the new packages of school supplies before school starts. Keep the receipts together and return anything that won’t get used. This also gives you more time to find better deals, or you just may find out the school provides some materials.
9. Minimize daily spending
Lunches, transportation, and other daily expenditures can really add up fast. Figure out what it costs you to make a box lunch and see if its better to go with the school provided lunches. Carpooling or having your kids take the bus to school can also save a lot of money in gas.
10. Do-it-yourself
Taking the time to make or update things at home will save you money and bring life back to old items. You can print their favorite things on iron-on, sticker, or plain paper and then put it on t-shirts, folders, lunch boxes, or anything. Intsructables.com has step-by-step guides to tons of do-it-yourself projects.
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