Donna's Healthy Living Tips

It is that time of year again and the students (pre-K through college) are either excited, apprehensive, or depressed; the same could be said for parents.  Regardless of how the student is feeling, they are probably being outfitted for “back to school” including school supplies, clothes, and a book bag. 

Here are some tips for reducing waste and saving money as you prepare for back to school (some tips are for waste reduction and others for saving money, some are for both):

• Buy recycled products – The more times we manage to reuse an item before it ends up in a landfill, the better place we are leaving for future generations because we are reducing our use of resources AND keeping trash out of landfills.  (And please do your own recycling too.)
• Connect with parents or older students and purchase their old supplies – Many times in a particular grade a student needs a special calculator or in college, certain textbooks.  Find people who have already completed that requirement and buy their supplies for a significant saving, plus, again, fewer resources used.
• Buy quality – I remember having a book bag in elementary school that was in shreds about halfway through the school year.  In college I managed to get through all four years with one bag because I paid a little more but got a bag that would last. 
• Pack lunches at home – Not only will you/your child get a more nutritious and balanced lunch from home, you have the opportunity to save money (depending how you shop), AND reduce waste (especially if you do the next tip).
• Use re-usable containers – Instead of packing a sandwich in a plastic bag to get thrown away every day, use a washable container; instead of a juicebox, use a thermos; instead of a paper napkin, use cloth; instead of an individually packed bag of baby carrots, use a washable small container.  Mark your child’s name on the bottom of the containers and on the lunchbag so they are less likely to be lost.  You can also use the thermos in the winter to pack a nice warm meal of soup or stew.
• Shop secondhand stores – You can find some very cool clothes and bags at secondhand stores for a fraction of the price.  I once took my teenage stepdaughter resale shopping and I wasn’t sure how she was going to respond to it.  She loved it!  I told her to look around and see if anything appealed to her and told her that there aren’t the options of, “I like this but can I get it in a different size or color” like there are in regular stores but that you could find some really fabulous things.

The fabulous thing about these tips is that they can be used year-round in your home, whether or not you have anyone in your family going back to school.  You can switch to cloth napkins (which I find as a great bargain at resale shops) and pack food in reusable containers; you can buy recycled-content products and choose quality so you get a lot of life out of your purchase. 

Here’s to the start of a great school year!  (Check out my posts on boosting immunity so you have fewer sick days.)

Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who enjoys sharing healthy living tips for all ages.  You can find wonderful supplements with a guarantee of purity and potency at www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com