Begin Clean & Green

Swing Into the School Year Clean and Green

RISMEDIA, August, 2009-For parents, back-to-school season is a blur of shopping for school supplies, coordinating schedules for extracurricular activities, and preparing children for a fresh start to the school year. The school year also brings with it extra laundry and stains from cafeteria spills, recess and sports game tumbles. When it comes to clean-up, nearly half of home laundry shoppers in a recent survey said that “environmental friendliness” was an important factor.

“I look for solutions that make sending my kids back to school convenient, easy on the wallet, and in line with the environmentally responsible way my family is trying to live,” said Jen Singer, lifestyle expert, author and founder of Mommasaid.net, an online resource for moms.

Mom’s Back-to-School Checklist

Singer hears from many moms concerned with making the transition from summertime to school time an easy process for the whole family, which is why she recommends the following convenient, affordable and green tips:

1. Give the environment and yourself a break. Make a deal with other parents to carpool the kids to dance or soccer practice. Not only will it save fuel and money, it will give each parent a break from sing-alongs and post-game muddy cleats.
2. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Laundry stains from sports games or running on the playground are inevitable, so use a stain remover that is trusted to eliminate stains.
3. Be smart with school supplies. Make a big difference with small changes. Buy recycled paper products, such as notebooks, notepads and pencils, and refillable pens.
4. Be a savvy shopper. Determine what’s necessary to buy new, what can be used from the last school year, and what hand-me-downs the younger ones can use. Don’t buy a new Cubs Scout hat if your neighbor has one to lend. And, spread out the shopping trips throughout the season when there’s a sale.
5. Carve out study space. Make sure your kids have an uncluttered spot where they can study without distractions. Whether your kids do math at the kitchen table or social studies in their rooms, they need a place where they aren’t interrupted by siblings or wooed by video games.

Copyright© 2009 RISMedia, The Leader in Real Estate Information Services, All Rights Reserved. This material may not be republished without permission from RISMedia.