The value of refillable markers – not what you’d think

Whenever something that belongs to my kids doesn’t work, there’s a moment of hesitation, and then, fling! Away it goes. So much in their world is disposable, replaceable and broken. So many of their things hold no real value.

That’s why the concept of the AusPen refillable whiteboard (dry-erase) marker may take a moment to wrap our minds around. Add drops of ink to the marker and keep on using it? When eventually the nib frays, turn it around and use the other end? After countless refills, when the aluminum marker has had its day, throw it in the recycling bin instead of the garbage? Well, it must cost a fortune.

The irony is that goods that are designed to have a short user-lifespan, such as regular whiteboard markers, cost considerably more, 70% more in the case of regular whiteboard markers compared to the AusPen.

Consider the message to children in a class where a teacher can hold up the AusPen kit – 6 markers with their refill inks – and say, “Because of this kit I am not going to throw away 246 toxic, non-biodegradable markers into our local landfill.” Imagine the children’s thoughts. Imagine the impact on their actions. Imagine the value in that.

Princeton Review Releases "2010 Green Rating Honor Roll"

The Princeton Review has released its second annual "Green Rating" of colleges, a measure of how environmentally friendly the institutions are on a scale of 60 to 99.

The company tallied its Green Ratings for 697 institutions based on data it collected from the colleges in 2008-09 concerning their environmentally related policies, practices, and academic offerings. The ratings are reported in some college profiles on the Princeton Review website and in its college guides.

The Princeton Review also named 15 colleges to its "2010 Green Rating Honor Roll," a list that salutes the institutions that received the highest possible score – 99 – in this year's rating tallies.

Institutions listed on the Honor Roll include: Arizona State University, Bates College (ME), Binghamton University (NY), College of the Atlantic (ME), Colorado College, Dickinson College (PA), Evergreen State College (WA), Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard College (MA), Middlebury College (VT), Northeastern University (MA), University of California, Berkeley, University of New Hampshire, University of Washington, and Yale University (CT).

"Green My School"

CBS and EcoZone Media teamed up to put on a great project for schools in three areas across the country. It's called the "Green My School" contest and the winners have started to be announced...in San Francisco, the Chicago area and Miami.

The winning schools receive "green" makeovers, amounting to over $100,000 in green school supplies, green products and green services.

Refillable whiteboard markers are one of the components to the "Green My School" contest, as each winning school gets outfitted with AusPen markers. What does that mean? It means no more Expo markers being thrown in the trash bin and hauled off to the local landfill. It means reducing the toxicity in classrooms, making it a better environment for the students, but also for teachers, who have to stand inches away from markers with Xylene for large parts of the day.

And one of the great benefits as well, the schools will start to save literally thousands of dollars every year by using a recycled, refillable product...the AusPen markers cut whiteboard marker budgets by more than 70% when they get in the system.

It's a great contest and congratulations to all schools who sent in entries.

Life Cycle of a Whiteboard Marker

I came across a site that outlines the ecological impact of a product from start to finish. It looks at everything related to the making of the product through to when the product is disposed.

They did a life cycle flow diagram of a whiteboard marker from "cradle to grave".

It's pretty interesting, have a look:

http://www.howproductsimpact.net/lifecycle/lifecycleflow.htm

California Green Schools

We just got back from the California Green Schools Summit in Anaheim. It was a great event with smart people and companies focused on making California schools greener. We met people from all over the state and it was great to talk with so many educators that are current users of the AusPen dry erase markers.

It was the second conference in the last 30 days we attended in California - the first one was in San Francisco (Green Festival) and this one in southern California. The focus on green initiatives in the Golden State is impressive and inspiring.

The groups of people we spoke with make sustainability a part of their daily routines and they are constantly looking for ways to be greener, whether it is something as easy as changing over to a refillable dry erase marker, or non-toxic cleaners in the schools all the way to major projects like going completely solar, or Leeds-certified construction of new schools.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the AusPen booths, we appreciate it and look forward to speaking with you in the New Year to help you make your schools and companies greener.

Green Schools

We're committed to helping schools become as green as possible and that means delivering a whiteboard marker that is non-toxic, but also one that is made from recycled material and is refillable.

It is always great to be recognized by respected members of the school districts, as we have in the last couple of months on trips to California, Washington State and the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia.

As well, when respected media companies also highlight our AusPen markers it makes us feel very good about not only the markers, but the real impact it is having in the everyday lives of students, teachers and office workers - and of course local eco-systems.

Over the next couple of months it looks like several magazines and newspapers will be doing pieces on AusPen markers - we'll keep you posted.

By the way, here is a link to the Fall issue of National Geographic's Green Guide magazine article on the "Greenest School Supplies", which features AusPen whiteboard markers.
www.thegreenguide-magazine.com/thegreenguide/fall2008/?pg=68

Have a great weekend and Happy Thanksgiving

Teachers - Whiteboard Markers That Don't Stink

We were at an educational conference recently and one of the top complaints from teachers about their working conditions was the smell of the whiteboard markers (dry erase markers) that they have to use.

That smell causes many of them to feel lethargic and have headaches by the end of the day. Many said they often feel nauseous at points during the day due to inhaling the fumes from their whiteboard markers.

Breathing in these toxins all day long is not good for you - obviously. This is a heath hazard and shouldn't be allowed in the workplace.

Make a point of asking your school administrators to only use markers that don't contain Xylene. Xylene free markers are the eay to go for a healthier work environment.