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lunch bag
What's the safest lunch box to pack for your kids (or yourself) these days? And what's my secret for getting kids to actually reuse their lunch box or bag?

What You Need to Know: Research commissioned by the C enter for Environmental Health in Oakland, California showed that the lining in some kids' lunch boxes contained high levels of lead. Lead can harm children even in minute amounts because it hinders brain development and can cause a variety of behavior and other developmental disorders. Children may be at risk if they eat food that's been exposed to the box directly or if they handle the boxes and then put their hands in their mouths.

Because you can't tell by appearance whether a vinyl lunch box may contain lead, CEH advises parents to avoid buying vinyl lunch boxes altogether. You can test any vinyl lunch boxes you already own using a hand- held lead testing kit. If your hardware store doesn't carry one, see LeadCheck. Better yet, pack your kids' lunch in a safer alternative:

Reusablebags. com sells organic and regular cotton bags, "Lunchbugs" cloth lunch bags,

World of Good offers a wide variety of bento boxes and hand woven reed lunch boxes and is committed to fair trade.

Mimi the Sardine sports fun, vinyl-free water-proof lunchbags (like the one pictured above) online and in Whole Foods stores in the Northwest and Southwest. ?Progressive Kid offers EarthPak bags made from two, "upcycled" two-liter plastic bottles. Pack food in reusable containers, too:. Here's a reusable sandwich wrap that will save you $$$ on throwaway plastic sandwich bags.

As for my secret tip to make sure kids bring their lunch bags, water bottles and other re-usables home?

Put a deposit on them! Let your kids earn a nickel, dime or quarter every time they return their lunch containers for refill. At the end of the month, they can use the money they've earned for a special (eco) something just for them, or to make a donation to a cause they care about.
hand washing
If you're sending kids off to college, you know what a toll getting ready can take - both on your pocketbook and on the planet.

These "must haves" will keep the pain to a minimum?

* Non-anti bacterial soap - and lots of it. With college campuses bracing for outbreaks of swine flu, students may be inclined to pack a load of anti-bacterial handwipes to keep their exposure to a minimum. Since swine flu is a virus, the antibacterials (which contain polluting triclosan) won't do much good. In fact, doctors worry that the overuse of antibacterial soaps and wipes actually creates more problems than they solve. Washing hands frequently and vigorously with fragrance-free, nonbacterial soap is among the best ways to prevent the spread of swine flu. If you must send wipes with your child, choose those that are alcohol-based, rather than antibacterial.

* Re-usable water bottle. Some campuses (like Washington U in St. Louis) have started banning throwaway plastic bottled water. My kids just think it's a waste of money (especially since they have to spend their own money on incidentals like this). Get a re- usable water bottle that comes with a carabiner, so it's easy to attach to a backpack or book bag.

* Refillable mug. My daughter quickly tired of spending $5 at Starbucks every time she wanted a cup of tea or coffee. She now packs her own tea bags, and fills up her mug for free in the dorm cafeteria before heading off to class.

Here's what we do about clothes, electronics, light bulbs and shampoo. Let me know what works for you.

eco school supplies
I spent a day last week shopping for school supplies and found far more recycled products at Staples and Office Depot than at Target.

* Paper products: Both Staples and Office Depot carried a good selection of recycled notebook paper, printer paper, folders, and binders. In my humble opinion, it's a no-brainer to buy recycled school paper. If it's more expensive, encourage your student to economize by using both sides, rather than one, or to submit drafts and final copies to teachers electronically so you don't need to use paper at all.

* Student agendas and calendars - Also available in recycled paper, many of these come with a cover made of recycled cardboard, too.

* Pencils, pens, non-toxic markers: Look for pencils made from recycled wood or even recycled dollar bills. Or choose mechanical pencils - keep the same pencil holder, and refill the lead as needed. Pens may be made from recycled plastic.

For more back-to-school tips, see this month's very comprehensive posting from the Green Moms Carnival.


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Are you on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter? Let's connect! I twitter@Dia neMacEachern and @biggreenpur se. You can find me here on F acebook and Linke dIn. Where are you?

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Talk to you again soon,

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Diane MacEachern
Big Green Purse

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