After a school or your group of friends have eliminated their plastic water bottles and made the switch to stainless steel, it’s just a sea of the same water bottles during a play date or in the cubby room at school. When my friends and I all have our kids together, we are always asking each other “is that your Klean Kanteen or mine?” It’s amazing to me I still have all my bottles from purchasing them months ago.  Well check out this solution from the smart folks over at H20×2!  A picture is worth a thousand words…

They have Klean Kanteen bottles in stock, ready for back-to-school lunches, with an option for personalization. The 12 oz is a perfect fit in any lunch box. Klean Kanteen bottles are made from food grade stainless steel and have a wide mouth that allows for ice and easy cleaning. BPA-free and dishwasher safe!
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Wow - a surprising week when the FDA decides to ignore their country’s best scientists and what other Countries (Canada being one) have agreed that the chemical BPA should be declared ‘dangerous’ to use in the production of baby bottles and children’s products. Food and Drug Administration scientists said the trace amounts of bisphenol A that leach out of food containers are not a threat to infants or adults. The agency acknowledged that more research is needed to fully understand the chemical’s effects on humans, and noted “there are always uncertainties associated with safety decisions.” I’ll say it again….WOW.

For parents and back-to-school consumers that are concerned and educated about plasticizers and chemicals that may be lurking in products used by children, here is a timely report on Back To School Lunch Boxes 101 from:
SFKids.org, Laure Latham

These tips about lead, PVC-free, vinyl-free, and phthalate-free lunch labels surrounding your child’s lunch box/bag is extra timely for Mommy Footprint readers because alternatives to traditional lunch kits will be the upcoming prizes for our back-to-school contests. Stay tuned for details - you don’t want to miss out on these contests!

Back to School: Lunch Boxes 101
Six things you’ll want to think about when it comes to lunch:

• Check for “lead safe” or even better “lead free” labels.

• Check for “PVC-free”, “Vinyl-free” or “phthalates-free” labels.

• If you find none of the above, avoid soft vinyl bags and avoid bags with additional chemicals such as anti-bacterial claims (Microban is one of them).

• If your chosen bag offers no labels, store or wrap all your child’s food individually to avoid contact with the interior lining. Remind your kids to wash their hands before and after lunch.

• To reduce waste, choose re-usable containers and use your own silverware and napkins.

• Don’t refill disposable water bottles. The best choice are stainless steel reusable water bottles.

More details on these nasty chemicals?  Read on…
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It’s time to start thinking about back-to-school and when possible, I’d like to add some green supplies to my list. The Laptop Lunchbox is first up….what a great product!  Here are some ideas to assist your back-to-schooler!

Green Lunch Boxes and Water Bottles:

The Laptop Lunchbox- This is the greenest lunchbox you’ll find and it’s practical.  If you have a child that eats sandwiches and enjoys an assortment of snack items, this would be a great back-to-school investment!  You can eliminate plastic bags, plastic wrap, and plastic containers by sending lunch in one of these American style bento box. They also come with real flatware and a cloth napkin can be put inside it too. Help yourself pack healthy and environmentally friendly meals for your children.

Klean Kanteen Bottles. Either the 12oz or 18oz bottles work great for school age kids.  The 12oz size can fit into even the smallest of lunch boxes. These stainless steel bottles are available everywhere and are my favorite water bottle because there is no plastic liner, no plastic replacement straws, and they can go into the dishwasher! 

For those extra pieces of fruit or snacks for after-school activities, send along a cotton lunch sack from Ecobags.  This company has wonderful products (including the Ecobag for produce) and have greatly assisted our world with helping to eliminate plastic bags by replacing them with these washable, certified organic bags.

Looking at all my picks for lunchbox and water bottles, I believe these products can be fundraised in your school by Green Hands. This company has assisted schools to become more green in their fundraising efforts and to eliminate excess plastic waste at the same time!

Online Canadian School Supplies:

Grassroots Ecojot Notebook / Journal made from 100% Post-Consumer Recycled meaning no trees were used. They go one step further by printing their ink with vegetable-based ink. Look at these awesome designs!

Grassroots biodegradable corn pen. Except for the ink refill, this green pen is made from  a revolutionary new material derived from cornstarch.  It is similar in look and feel to ordinary plastic with one important exception: it is completely biodegradable!

Online US School Supplies:

Green Apple Recycled #2 Pencils: These pencils are made from cedar wood scraps from the pencil manufacturing process. They are also not coated with laquer. Check out the adorable packaging.

Red Apple School Supplies also sells back-to-school packs, complete with most all the supplies your child will need. Check out this pack from Red Apple School Supplies.

Large US and Canadian chains have vowed to keep green supplies available to customers:  Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot.  Looking at the Staples website, I noticed a section marked EcoEasy Products. Within this section you can complete your list with binders, calculators, ink, and paper.

I’ve been slowly gathering ideas because there are a few special people in my world expecting babies.  What would a person that is starting to learn wayyyyy too much about toxic baby products give as a baby gift?  Here is a compilation of very affordable ideas that I’ve bookmarked over the last few months. I’m sure there’s a few you haven’t seen!

1. Milk Lush, organic baby quilt. Made by an amazingly talented new mom, her line of organic quilts are  the perfect size.  These are a special, affordable, and a unique present. Her choice of fabrics is magical and each quilt is one of a kind made with 100% cotton, stuffed with organic cotton batting, and the side that is dreamy next to a baby is minky. (If you haven’t felt this material…it is amazingly soft!) It has tabs for baby to chew and that can attach to the stroller or carrier so you don’t loose it. She is currently sold out of her quilts, but will have new designs on her Etsy site on August 15th so stay tuned!  Check out these sweet designs from Ashely.

2. Whipstitch Backstitch These Eco-friendly stuffies will be available in the Fall, (I’m just a tease) but I had to show off this latest find! A wildly talented artist has created environmentally conscious creatures that children will adore! Looking for the perfect 1st friend or stuffie for baby? These are hand stitched with love and are filled with Ecofill stuffing (recycled plastic that is non-toxic).
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Sounds like the story of my life these days!  The fallout from BPA and phthalate products has changed how all parents view plastic.  I still use my Ikea plastic plates for snacks for the kids, but other than that, I’ve really purged most of it from the bathroom and kitchen.  So when Leigh left a comment on my previous article called Plastic Food Alternative Solutions recommending a site called Life Without Plastic, my ears perked up. After checking out the site, I ordered four of their cereal bowls with stainless steel interior. I’ve included a picture of these bowls below. They are totally adorable and I wish I’d found them months ago because they are getting so much use! They are a little small for my oldest son’s cereal, but I’m finding them very handy for all the fruit and snacks all four insist having in separate bowls. They have a special on 2 pink bowls and 2 blue bowls…so for my clan this was perfect! I would highly recommend these for a 1st or 2nd birthday present for a child…or for that age bracket so they get good use out of them. With the plastic on the OUTSIDE of the bowls, it actually works well because you don’t have to worry if they slip out of little hands or off the table…they are not going to break easily.

The site also offers a product I’ve never seen for kids….a stainless steel mug that is double walled to protect hands against the heat and a stainless steel lid for the top. Very cute designs and characters on the outside. Again, what a cute present idea for toddlers getting away from bottles and sippies.

There are products for older kids and adults. The idea of litter-less lunches has really taken off for school aged kids. Read about one mom’s vision for this in the article about Green Fundraising. On the Life Without Plastic site, you’ll find stainless steel food storage containers that act as a lunch box, or sets of 4 airtight stainless steel containers all in different sizes, and Asian stainless steel lunch boxes that are in tiers of 2 and 3 layers. WOW - lots of options for lunches to bring to work or storing snacks for kids off to school for the day.  Oh yes and did I mention this company is Canadian!  I love saying that because it means no hidden shipping/duty/tax surprises when your order arrives.  They will ship to Canada and the US.