The kids are heading back to school. So how about choosing more environmentally healthy products this year for your child’s and the environment’s sake?

On of the most important considerations to make is the storage and transportation of lunch.

Choose non-lead painted lunchboxes
Avoid lunchboxes made with lead and PVC, which are, based on research, likely two unsafe lunchbox materials.
Check for lead safe or even better, lead free labels. The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) found lead in the PVC (vinyl) lining of several lunch-box samples it tested. Lead is a neurotoxin and can lead to consequences on a child’s development. Children are only exposed to small amounts of lead through their hands holding a lunch box or through their food if it’s stored unwrapped inside the bag. However, researcher and health professionals believe that this exposure over time can lead to enough lead accumulation to cause problems for your child.

Check for PVC-free, Vinyl-free and phthalates-free labels
The production of PVC (or vinyl) creates pollution. It also includes toxic chemicals such as phthalates and lead. These chemicals can leach out or evaporate and affect your child’s health.

Avoid soft vinyl bags and avoid bags with additional chemicals such as anti-bacterial claims. Some lunch bags advertise a Microban built-in protection or Microban interior lining. Microban is a brand that contains anti-bacterial chemicals to eliminate germs and bad smells. Anti-bacterial products are unnecessary as regular dish-soap does as good a job in disinfecting and neutralizing nasty odours.
If your lunch container offers no labels, wrap your child’s food individually to avoid contact with the interior lining. And always teach the kids to wash their hands before and after lunch.

Buy larger food quantities and divide them into smaller single servings. This is also much cheaper than buying smaller individually wrapped foods.

Avoid:
-sealing sandwiches, fruits and vegetables in plastic bags
-pre-packaged chips, cookies, fruit bars, granola bars, cheeses, and fruit leathers, smaller yogurts, applesauces, and puddings
-crackers, pretzels, chips, and other snack foods sealed in plastic bags
-disposable juice boxes, juice pouches, soda cans, water bottles, and milk cartons
-plastic forks and spoons, paper napkins
-reusable lunchboxes and disposable paper and plastic bags

Instead choose the following waste-free reusable lunch items, which are also much less expensive:
-sandwiches and other main dishes, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and treats in a reusable lunch container
-cloth napkins
-stainless-steel forks and spoons
-reusable drink containers made of stainless stell or glass. Don't refill disposable plastic water bottles.
-reusable lunchboxes

When it comes to backpacks avoid PVC and buy recycled. Reusing one you have is best, unless it’s made with PV .

If you need to choose a hand sanitizer always buy one without triclosan. Research claims that Triclosan and its degradation products bioaccumulate in humans, are then found widely in rivers, lakes, fish and other marine life. It is also linked to bacterial resistance.

Also look for green school supplies and eco-clothing to make this school year the greenest ever.