"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.

ABC News Highlights Non Toxic Whiteboard Markers

ABC's Good Morning America recently put together a feature on safe school supplies and green school supplies as the kids head back to classrooms this fall. They particularly focused on non toxic school supplies, products with low VOCS (volatile organic compounds) which reduce exposure of harmful toxins for the students and the teachers.

As they stated, conventional whiteboard markers are one of the top sources of toxic waste for schools, as they contain Xylene. These markers go to the landfills by the truckload, filling landfills not only with non-biodegradable plastic containers, but these little toxic bombs will keep leaking Xylene into the soil (and in many cases, into the water table).

ABC News identified AusPen refillable markers as a safe, green alternative to the disposable dry erase markers, as they are made up from recycled material and they are non toxic.

Have a look at the ABC News feature on their website here

Green Guide

The latest issue of the National Geographic Green Guide magazine arrived on newwstands and in subscriber mailboxes over the last week. The cover story is "Safe School Supplies" as most kids head back to school.

We are very proud to say that our AusPen whiteboard markers have been included in the article by National Geographic. Not only did they use a good size image of our eco-friendly markers, but they put us number one on their list of "Guide To Greener Schools" with six other products.

It was good to see refillable, recyclable dry erase markers and whiteboard markers make this esteemed list. The big key for them was we have non-toxic markers.

You can pick up the magazine at leading retailers everywhere, or at their website at http://www.thegreenguide.com/

It's Back To School

For some regions, it's back to school, or at least teachers are getting ready for the kids to start arriving. Other areas still have a few weeks before the doors fly open to another school year.

When you're getting ready to outfit the classroom with supplies, please try and think green with what you purchase, but also with how you go about your day-to-day activities once school has started. Recycle, reuse, reduce are the keys.

Whiteboard markers are one part of the equation when it comes to making positive changes in making classrooms and schools greener (refillable, recyclable, non-toxic products in any area are great to be looking out for).

For those who are back at school, have a great year, for those with a few weeks of vacation left, enjoy it.

Low Odor Markers

So many schools and organizations are focusing on the toxicity in the classroom and office space. These toxins lurk everywhere and one of the big culprits is disposable whiteboard markers that use ink loaded with harmful chemicals.

Xylene is the major concern and Xylene can be found in the majority of disposable markers. You know that smell, the one that gives you a headache if you're around it enough...that's Xylene.
Google it and you'll read about its harmful effects..it's really a pretty nasty chemical.

When purchasing whiteboard markers, take a look for non-toxic ones, you'll be glad you did. And if you are a teacher, using non-toxic markers is not only much better for your health, but it significantly reduces the level of toxicity the school children are exposed to.