Back to School, Naked and Climate Activism

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Back to school, naked and climate activism – commonality, connection….let’s see. With a pending “arrest” for climate activism in my near future, going back to school and all it usually entails for busy parents somehow seems lower on the Richter scale for me this year than in past years. That being said, back to school is “looming and out there” and with two middle schoolers on my hands, and in my thoughts, I wanted to share a few of my musings, products ideas, and thoughts on staying calm and sane as that first day of school fast approaches.

First of all on the product end of things, at ClimateMama we often talk about how important it is to reuse, repurpose and “refind” some of those back to school items you tossed in your drawer and forgot about ie. items you bought and then didn’t have time to use but may be able to use again. Make sure to take an “inventory” of what you already have on hand before you head online or out to the store for school supplies.

Second, it is really, really important, with school supplies and in fact with any products you buy, to support those companies that are taking a stand for sustainability, that are concerned about a product’s lifecycle and that try to incorporate recycled content as well as innovative packaging (less is more) into their designs. Let your kids be an example of their, yours, and your family’s efforts at living sustainably and promoting a healthier planet, one recycled pencil, binder, reusable water bottle, and lunch container at a time!

One company in particular whose products seem to be embodying all these things is Naked Binder. Lauren, from Naked Binder, had contacted me recently about trying out their products, and while I often leave the product reviews for my friends and the experts at the Green Moms Carnival, these binders intrigued me. On the home page of the company website, their goals are upfront and center: “sustainability, great design, preserving wilderness we love and giving back to education that helped us get here.” Pretty good mission statement from where I sit!

I admire the sustainability and educational stand this company is taking and I love the great products they are making. Naked Binder products are incredibly durable and are made in the USA out of 100% recycled board (97% Post Consumer Waste) which are 100% recyclable (closing the lifecycle loop!) Their binders contain no plastics, vinyl or toxins, and are priced the same as most vinyl binders. For my 12 year old daughter, an excellent “+” with the Naked Binder and their dividers folders is the “design feature” which allows you to easily decorate them yourself – something she does with her notebooks no matter what, but these are “made to order” for that!

Check out Naked Binder, you can’t go wrong. You can order their products directly from them, on-line, something I highly recommend for busy parents. On-line ordering saves you time and gas, lowering your carbon footprint. It is also a great way get your “green” back to school supplies, as depending on where you live, you might not easily be able to find great green products at your local school supply store.

Finally, as we get close to the one year “starting gate” for the next presidential elections race, politics in the USA already seems at its worst rather then at its best. As parents we want to put our best foot forward for our children and set a great example, not a cynical one. Join us and start the school year off on an exciting educational and relevant non-partisan political adventure by getting your family as well as your children’s schools involved and active with these upcoming special environment related events.

My Top 4 Climate Activism and Education Events for Back to School:

1. Tar Sands Action
2. 24 Hours of Reality
3. Moving Planet
4. James Hansen at Bergen Community College (for our NYC Metro Mamas and Papas)

Stay tuned to ClimateMama for updates on all these events.

This post is in partnership and support of the Green Moms Carnival, a group of dedicated green bloggers who each month join together to blog about a common subject, cause or event. Our Back to School Carnival is hosted by Miceala at Mindful Momma. The Green Moms Carnival post goes live August 22nd.

First Photo used through Flickr/Creative Commons: Credit K. Rain