Books:

If books are not supplied by the school, you may want to try used options. Check the bookstores early for prime choice.

http://www.ecampus.com/

http://www.amazon.com/

http://www.tmcc.edu/

http://www.asunbookstore.com/

Backpacks:

If the bag from last year is still strong, reuse it! Green options would be a second-hand bag or bags made from recycled materials. There are a number of nice messenger bags and backpacks made from biodegradable canvas, recycled rubber, billboards, seat belts, and more. Locally, check EcoReno or La Terre Verte for some green options.

Clothing:

Used is always a great option. Tons and tons of clothes end up in the landfill every year and take a VERY (we are talking hundreds of years) long time to degrade. Not only are there some great consignment stores in our area, but you can actually sell your gently used clothes to some of them! What a way to make money and save money!

Look for textiles that are eco-friendly and biodegradable including organic cotton, bamboo, and wool.

http://www.onceuponachild.com/

http://www.platoscloset.com/

http://www.junkeeclothingexchange.com/

Supplies:

When buying filler paper, notebooks and copy paper, look for paper with recycled content. The higher the content the better. You any also look for non-chlorine bleached paper products as chlorine is an environmental contaminant; it also leaves the byproduct dioxin, a known carcinogen.

When choosing other supplies such as rulers, binders, pens and pencils, choose products with the least packaging and those made from recycled materials.

LUNCH:

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but we also want to allow our kids healthy choices for snack and lunch. Eating local food and in season is a very sustainable practice, supporting your own community agriculture and reducing your carbon “food”print. A focus on a healthier diet can also reverse the growing trends of obesity, early-onset diabetes, and hypertension, among other chronic diseases, in children and teens.

If you packing a lunch to go, think about your products that you are using to pack your lunches. Are they degradable? Reusable? Contain a lot of packaging? If you are choosing store bought foods, choose those with less packaging. Think about all the waste you can avoid if you package your own food instead of individually packaged products. When packing, choose containers that can be reused instead of thrown away after one use. Sandwich wraps and snack sacks that are washable are a great and fun alternative to traditional plastic baggies. If you choose baggies, try washing and reusing them for future reuse. Lunch bags or totes are also a grand idea for reuse. Reusable water bottles are a great way to keep hydrated. Up to 80% of plastic water bottles end up in the landfill and are not recycled!

Whatever you choose, always remember REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE and have fun hitting the books!

The Sleep Shop, Reno’s only store selling only eco-friendly, non-toxic, and organic mattresses, pillows, and sustainable beds, has moved in and is sharing the space at 1095 S. Virginia.  Two great, green, local businesses together in one!

If you’re thinking of upgrading your old bed, come see the great selection that’s moved in.  Soy memory foam, organic cotton, healthier options for that cozy place where you spend about ONE-THIRD of your life!  And while you’re here, pick up some toilet bowl cleaner and castile soap!

What should ingredients should you avoid? What should you look for in a sunscreen?

• Block UVB and UVA rays. UVA cause premature aging, skin cancer, and other skin damage and UVB cause sunburn rays should both be avoided.
• Look for sunscreens with zinc, titanium dioxide, avobenzene, or Mexoryl SX for the best UVA protection available in the U.S.
• Avoid oxybenzone and Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) due to health concerns. The risk increases with vitamin A when exposed to the sun.

Types of sunscreens: Physical Barrier Sunscreens vs. Chemical Sunscreens

• Physical barrier sunscreens use opaque minerals to form a layer on top of the skin reflects or scatters the UV light. Physical barriers contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the active ingredient.
• Chemical sunscreens absorb the UV rays before they can do any damage. Single chemical sunscreens protect against  UVB or UVA rays, not both. For broad spectrum protection, you would need a a sunscreen with multiple chemicals.  Chemicals found in these sunscreens are likely to cause skin irritations, allergies and other health concerns.

What does SPF mean? What should you use?

• The Sun Protection Factor, SPF, is a measurement of the resistance to UVB rays – the ones that cause sunburn and the rays though to contribute to skin cancer.
• Higher doesn’t always mean better. The FDA has found these numbers to be misleading and in fact, And higher numbered sunscreens are flooding the market.
• You should wear at least a 15 and reapply sunscreen every hour – no matter what SPF factor you are using.

Other ideas and thoughts about sun exposure:

• You should completely stay out of the sun. Vitamin D is GREAT for your health and help produced by exposure to the sun.  It strengthens bones and the immune system, reduces the risk of various cancers (including breast, colon, kidney, and ovarian cancers) and regulates at least 1,000 different genes governing virtually every tissue in the body.
• Limit your exposure to the sun when its rays are most intense (12-3pm), spending time in the shade.
• Cover up with tightly woven clothing to limit exposure – there are a number of sun blocking apparel items available.

We just picked up Badger Sunscreen, finding it to be one of the better rated sunscreens and is a physical barrier sunscreen. READ MORE

Presented by Little Smudgeez, this class goes over the ins and outs of cloth diapering your baby. Why it’s good for health, the environment, and the pocketbook, help with troubles, answers to your questions.

Please RSVP at least 24 hours before class, as classes without participants are subject to cancellation.

And as we celebrate this day of our nation’s independence from oppressive rule, let’s think about independence other ways – from oil-rich foreign countries, from a mindset that considers everything disposable, from toxic ingredients in everything on store shelves.  How many changes can we make before our next 4th of July?  As long as our culture depends on all these things, we aren’t truly independent!

Peppermill taps Earth’s heat

Come on in today and tomorrow and pick up something nice for your Pop – how about a sweet laptop sleeve made from an old wetsuit?

Or that hemp messenger bag he’s been eyeing?

Click here for the article from the Las Vegas Sun.