August marks the end of lazy summer days and the anticipation of “back to school” for many families. Whether you are sending kids back to school or not, all of us can find ways to become “green students”! It’s as easy as 1 – 2 – 3 !

1. Food For Thought

If you are packing a school lunch or bringing lunch from home to the office, consider reusable lunch sacks, sandwich bags, thermoses & utensils. The EPA estimates each child bringing a brown bag lunch to school generates 67 pounds of waste by the end of the year! There are so many choices in eco friendly reusable lunch gear, even bags and utensils made from bamboo! Check out these great 5 Steps to a Waste Free Lunch courtesy of ReUseIt.com.
2. Rethink Your School & Office Supplies

Did you know 6 billion pens are thrown away every year in the U.S.? And Americans discard 4 million tons of office paper every year — enough to build a 12-ft high wall of paper from New York to California! Choose recycled paper or paper products made from alternative fibers like bamboo, hemp or kenaf. You can also get cool pens, post-its, scissors that are recyclable, biodegradable or made from recycled material at your local office supply store.
3. Support Green Schools in Your Community

The greening of America’s schools is part of a larger trend toward more energy-efficient construction, from homes to shopping malls, city halls and office buildings. Green schools save money on rising energy costs and provide a healthier, more productive learning environment for children. The U.S. Green Building Council estimates if a green school saved $100,000 in yearly operational costs, that’s roughly enough to hire two new teachers, buy 200 new computers or purchase 5,000 new textbooks. Visit the USGBC website dedicated to greening our schools at www.greenschoolbuildings.org.

Creating a lot of buzz around the office are our 3 new Distressed Bamboo Flooring styles: Vintage Pearl, Antique Natural and Antique Java. Each plank is carefully and subtlety aged with a proprietary technique that results in one truly unique floor. Whether you’re going for a floor that’s bold and beautiful or clean and simple, Cali Bamboo has you covered. Remember, not all flooring is created equal, request your flooring samples online today!

Congratulations to our Green Home Challenge winners!

As surfers, Jennifer and Tony Butler were determined to build a home that was in perfect harmony with the natural environment and had the lightest ecological footprint possible. The goals were to make the home green on the inside and green on the outside, go above Energy Star criteria, and not break the piggy bank in the process. The Butler’s home has surpassed Energy Star’s annual energy cost requirements by nearly 33 percent. They emit 36 percent less Carbon Dioxide than the Energy Star reference house! Read more about the methods and products used in the Butler’s green home here.

Project of the Month

Congratulations to August’s Project of the Month Winners!

1st Place Laurie W., Point Edward, Ontario

2nd Place Trevor N., Oshawa, Ontario

3rd Place Patricia W., Lake Worth, FL

Your Friends,