Dropped onto my desk was the hefty School Specialty catalog, a bible of sorts in the educational world. You can get most any school supply here, preapproved, and it will be shipped altogether in time for your students to arrive in August.
But most of the stuff sure isn't green. Not even close.
I want to close the loop. I want to practice what I preach. Even with my small classroom budget, I don't want to buy pencils that aren't made of recycled wood and filler paper from virgin forests. It pains me.
We can shop at Staples, too. Even there I couldn't find pencils made from recycled wood. Where is this green movement in practice, anyway? It's in magazines, newspapers, but not in my ordering catalog or Staples, where I can really make a difference.
So what is a concerned parent and teacher to do? Well, I found a guide online. There really is a guide for everything.
It is here, at the Green Schools Iniative (who has a fantastic site, all around about greening schools). In it, I'm guided to businesses that feature the green products I want to buy for my classroom. Such as:
"TheGreenOffice.com - Sells supplies with recycled content, fewer hazardous chemicals, PVC-free, and reusability (like refillable pens). New "PVC-free Catalog," having removed nearly 2,000 products containing PVC or vinyl from their catalog. Enter the coupon code TGOWELCOME at checkout, and receive 10% off your first purchase."
I would love to support green businesses, close the loop, and buy green supplies for my school. The reality, though, is this is not possible right now. With my tiny materials budget, I already run out of essentials like pencils, paper, and gluesticks. I'll have to be very careful with my school (and taxpayer's) dollars here. Readers, do you know of any green office supply online shop that would help me practice my ideals and values, without breaking the bank? If not, I will have to do some sort of combination between greener office products and regular ones, until the green movement catches up to real life teachers in a budget strapped world.
3 comments:
I like that site - The Green Schools Initiative. It does offer lots of great resources (insert shameless plug: including us, EcoLabel Fundraising).
We sell newspaper pencils - you may like those.
I think it's going to take an entire change in attitude to change what happens in the school. I have a child in a school that is green to the max. He uses only what is greenly available with almost no waste. School books are all handwritten with no handouts or extra resources. Pencils are extended with cardboard tubes down to the last nub. Felt tips and highlighters are banned and pens are refillable (no ball points). His education has not suffered one iota for the lack of 'modern conveniences' and in fact is the better for it.
My elder child is at a 'normal' school (the other is primary only at present) and brings home loads of junk, half used books etc. The contrast could not be greater but his education has suffered.
We need to look carefully at what are necessities and what are mere conveniences that add almost nothing to learning.
viv in nz
Viv, your comments are so interesting. I'd love to hear more about the green school. Could you email me at non-toxic-kids(at)comcast(dot)net with the name? Maybe I could interview someone there.
Thanks so much-- and it is amazing how it is benefitting your child. I agree, the change is needed, and HUGE.
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