"Greenies"..... the next generation~

**IntlMom** · 09-09-2010, 06:30 PM

So this morning as I was making lunches for the kids, I reminded them all about bringing home their plastics baggies so that I could wash them and reuse them. I started doing this years ago to be frugal, but like so many things, I later came to realize that frugal and green often go hand in hand. Anyway, my daughter, who is four, said to me "Washing the baggies is a good idea. It's good to reuse things, reusing things makes the earth healthy"!!!!!

~~cue beaming Mom~~

**Libby** · 09-09-2010, 06:41 PM

Funny you mention this Traci. I was talking with a gf of mine and her children's school implemented a 'no garbage' policy at school during lunches and for snacks. EVERYTHING has to go back home - ie half eaten fruit, granola bars, sammies etc. EVERYTHING. My concern was the food spilling all over the lunch bags not getting cleaned in time and getting moldy.

This concept is great but I think it needs to be thought through a lil bit more. At least let the students throw away their half eaten food. If it doesn't get thrown away at school, it will get thrown away and containers recycled at home so really this policy sounds like the school is too cheap to spend money for garbage and recycling.

Not sure if this is how your kids have it at school.

**IntlMom** · 09-09-2010, 07:10 PM

nope - it's just my policy only with my kids!! However, my daughters preschool has a compost pile - so that half eaten apple would go in the compost bucket, and every one takes turns taking the bucket out to the pile.....

**Palooka** · 09-10-2010, 01:00 AM

WTG mom. I'm sure your little ones will grow up to be big greenies.

**Dancing Lotus** · 09-10-2010, 07:23 AM

My dd says her teachers LOVE the cloth napkins I put in her lunch box. To make it fun I bought fabric of her choice and made special ones just for the lunch box.

WTG on the plastic bags!

**TheRootedNomad** · 09-10-2010, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by Libby

Funny you mention this Traci. I was talking with a gf of mine and her children's school implemented a 'no garbage' policy at school during lunches and for snacks. EVERYTHING has to go back home - ie half eaten fruit, granola bars, sammies etc. EVERYTHING. My concern was the food spilling all over the lunch bags not getting cleaned in time and getting moldy.

This concept is great but I think it needs to be thought through a lil bit more. At least let the students throw away their half eaten food. If it doesn't get thrown away at school, it will get thrown away and containers recycled at home so really this policy sounds like the school is too cheap to spend money for garbage and recycling.

Not sure if this is how your kids have it at school.

I think the compost pile mentioned in another post is a better option and could be tied in educationally as could composting with worms in buckets. One of our preschool classes here does the worm thing and the kids at that age love it.

**adalynn** · 09-10-2010, 07:39 AM

EVERYDAY I try to use less plastic, I would love a plastic free life. Way to go, keep up the good work.

**KeithBC** · 09-11-2010, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by IntlMom

frugal and green often go hand in hand.

Way to go teaching your kids the right stuff!

**peanut** · 09-11-2010, 01:14 AM

Way to go IntlMom! I was surprised when I started being frugal over ten years ago that people were accusing (?!) me of being an environmentalist. My goal was to save money. It just happened to include being a good steward of the earth as well. If that's environmentalism, well then, I guess I'm an environmentalist!

**shoiji** · 09-11-2010, 06:52 PM

I can't believe someone mentioned cloth napkins. Just today while eating dinner I thought I wonder if I should start bringing a cloth napkin with my lunch.

Yea, I probably will be the only one doing this at work. There I am sitting there eating off an actual plate with my silverware and cloth napkin. Everyone else is heating up there meals in plastic and eating off of plastic and using paper napkins.