AusPen customers celebrate milestones

We could be the only marker company in the world that receives emails and calls from customers saying they’ve just had an anniversary with their markers.

First of all, it’s pretty unique for anyone to be with the same set of dry-erase markers for one, two and even three years. But second of all, I’m thinking that it’s pretty remarkable for those people to even remember when their relationship with their AusPen markers  began. (Are you reading this, honey?)

Really, just so you believe me, here are a few letters from people marking an anniversary, or should I say ‘making their mark’ with their anniversary:

My AusPen kit and I just celebrated our one-year anniversary! It feels so good to know I’ve helped to prevent all that plastic waste. (R. Schantz)

My pens and I have been together for over a year.  Love them! (S. Frantz)

I’ve been using the same set of 12 markers for 3 years. There is a level of satisfaction in that. (J. Miller)

 

To many more happy returns!

AusPen markers hit front page news

As students and the environmental leader of WD Ferris Elementary school hit the front page news, we couldn’t help noticing that handsome kit of eco-friendly markers!

Check out this front page article of the Richmond Review. 

W.D. Ferris Elementary teacher Kevin Lyseng is still searching for that elusive three-peat, but a pair of back-to-back titles earned by his students for their environmentalism is nothing to sneeze at. This week, the central Richmond school added to its impressive resume by capturing the 2011 EcoVoyageurs Jr. award, a distinction it also earned last year, one of just 10 schools nationally to be selected.

 While the Grade 5/6 teacher and school environmental leader introduced the use of eco-friendly non-toxic refillable markers for its dry-erase whiteboards in an effort to reduce waste by about 300 pounds a year, the $2,000 perk for his class and school that came with the EcoVoyageurs Jr. award is also welcomed.

 Over the years, Ferris has won more than its fair share of environmental awards. From the purchase of benches and trees, to the creation of a courtyard garden, students are learning that being friendly to Mother Nature sometimes comes with added bonuses.

 Principal Rick Gibbs said students from Lyseng’s class audited what was going in the school’s garbage to see what could be recycled. Students were able to cut their garbage to just 30 kg/day from 85.

Eco Award Winners Turn to Non-Toxic AusPen Markers

WD Ferris Elementary School in Richmond, British Columbia is the winner of the 2011 Eco Voyageurs Jr award for efforts to reduce their ecological footprint. Not content to coast on their successes in going green, WD Ferris is putting much of their award money towards purchasing non-toxic, refillable dry-erase markers to further reduce their waste and eliminate harmful toxins. It’s a purchase that will save the school approximately 300 pounds of toxic waste from their local landfill.

 [Richmond, B.C, May 2011] WD Ferris Elementary School in Richmond B.C. is the winner of the 2011 EcoVoyageurs Jr award, and this environmentally-minded school is putting their grant money to good use. The annual award goes to a school or class that has taken considerable measures to reduce their ecological footprint. For a second year in a row, WD Ferris has earned this award, and like last year, is turning to practical green solutions with the earnings. Kevin Lyseng, the school environmental leader and grade 5/6 teacher, has used the money to purchase sets of AusPen non-toxic, refillable and recyclable dry-erase markers for the classroom whiteboards, a move which will reduce the school’s waste by approximately 300 pounds.

 “The appeal of AusPen eco-friendly markers,” explains Lyseng, “is that they show the kids how you can make a difference. We can now say that with these 120 markers and their refill inks, 5000 markers won’t go into a landfill. That makes numbers real. That makes real connections. Now the kids can see why [the choice of these markers] is valuable,” says Lyseng.

 Lyseng was already turned off of his regular markers before finding out about a greener alternative. The nasty smell of the disposable markers, the stain they would leave on the board, and the cleaning spray that “shouldn’t be in our school in the first place” are reasons the eco-conscious teacher made “a better environmental choice”. “It is not uncommon to just use your hand to quickly wipe ink off the board. That begs the question of what’s in our man-made environment and why it’s killing us. We rarely question what we use on a daily basis,” he observed.

 The elementary school and Lyseng are no strangers to winning environmental awards. Previous environmental competitions like EcoVoyageurs and BC Green Games, as well as green initiatives such as recycling beverage containers, have provided the school with funds which they have used to purchase park benches, 30 trees for the school property, stainless steel compost containers, rechargeable batteries, field trips, rain barrels, an elaborate garden and compost system, and wire baskets that enable the wet paper to dry and then be recycled.

 Much can be learned from the approaches that WD Ferris has taken towards reducing their ecological footprint. Whenever obstacles have presented themselves, the school has searched for new approaches and projects. For example, a mice infestation in the school proved to be a major problem. It stopped the school from conducting school audits and composting. The school had been generating over 5 kilograms per day of compost, which they would use to fertilize their school gardens. Forced to stop composting, the school re-focused their energies and decided to put their grant money towards AusPen eco-friendly markers, a practical solution to the toxic, wasteful and expensive regular markers.

 When asked what advice he might give to other schools trying to go green or reduce their waste, Lyseng recommended doing a series of garbage audits. “That will provide the direction to work on,” he explains. “Look at what is coming into the school and what gets thrown out. Refuse what creates waste, or modify it. I saw 4-5 plastic whiteboard markers being thrown out a day. What does that look like over time?” Lyseng says that switching to AusPen eco-friendly markers was not his school’s starting point in going green, “but it could be for other schools. It’s about thinking differently, challenging your general behaviours and asking: what’s a better way of doing it and how can we improve on it?”

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Eco award winners turn to AusPen markers

Congratulations to WD Ferris Elementary of Richmond B.C. on their win of this year’s EcoVoyageurs Junior contest! This annual eco award goes to a school that has taken measures to reduce its ecological footprint. 

At EcoSmart Products, we are proud that Kevin Lyseng, the school’s environmental leader, has chosen to purchase 20 AusPen eco-friendly marker kits with a portion of the winnings. It’s another step in their diverse and innovative efforts to go green.

“AusPen markers was not our starting point [in going green],” explained Lyseng, “but it could be for other schools. AusPen markers show the kids how you can make a difference.”

WD Ferris Elementary and Lyseng are not new to environmental awards and turning environmental initiatives into revenue - in previous years, they have purchased park benches, 30 trees for the school property, and wire baskets to dry and recycle paper towels.

Interested in more about how this school has won so many awards? Stay tuned for EcoSmart’s soon-to-be-released press release detailing the journey of a class to promote change and improve awareness of environmental sustainability. Congrats WD Ferris!

Asthma Friendly Classrooms – Non-Toxic Products Protect Health

With childhood asthma on the rise, this article examines a few simple ways to reduce the cocktail of airborne chemicals in our North American classrooms.

Asthma has reached epidemic proportions in the United States affecting a reported 1 in 13 school-aged children. These children lead the way in school absenteeism due to a chronic illness, with over 14 million missed school days per year in the US. The near future does not look more promising, with the percentage of children with asthma rising more rapidly in preschool-aged children than in any other age group.

 While many factors are to blame for poor indoor air quality and airborne toxins in the classroom, a few simple changes can make a huge difference to the health of a classroom…and our children. A recent study conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in the U.S. has revealed that cleaning supplies used in schools could be polluting classroom air with more than 450 distinct toxic contaminants, including chemical agents linked to asthma and cancer. The good news is that Green Seal  and EcoLogo have certified green cleaning products, which can emit 80 percent fewer contaminants into the air compared to non-certified cleaning products. Certified green cleaning supplies like Marauder, Glance NA, and Alpha HP resulted in cumulative emissions that were only one-sixth of the total emissions from conventional cleaning products.

Another source of toxicity in the classrooms is the use of traditional whiteboard markers, many of which contain xylene, a chemical that occurs naturally in petroleum and tar. Xylene is classified as a neurotoxin and can be responsible for some neurological effects such as headaches, fatigue, memory loss and lightheadedness. It can also result in laboured breathing, according to the Environmental Protection Agency[1]. Even markers designated ‘non-toxic’ are triggering symptoms in people with chemical sensitivities.

There are several xylene-free choices on the market, but AusPen eco-friendly dry-erase markers stand out for their non-toxic properties and for their low environmental impact. The pens are refillable, using ink made of vegetable dyes, and they are recyclable, cutting down on the approximate 500 million non-biodegradable markers thrown out annually by North America teachers.  

The long-term low-level exposure to the cocktail of chemicals found in our classrooms is troubling, to say the least, especially since there are so many unknowns about its effect on children with asthma. Testing for human health effects is normally done on single chemicals, leaving us simply to speculate about their combined impact. Armed with certified green cleaning products and non-toxic classroom supplies is one way, happily, to help everyone breathe a little easier.

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[1] According to the EPA’s 2000 Air Toxic Website fact sheet on xylene.

May AusPen Giveaway Draw!

AusPen Giveaways

Where it pays to go green

 Welcome to EcoSmart’s giveaway program where your “Green” stories can get you great free eco-friendly products.  Each month we choose a theme, welcome your input, and have an AusPen draw, ranging each month from AusPen starter kits, to marker packs to accessories.

 May Theme:  Stocking Up and Taking Stock

 May is a great time to stock up and take stock.

As we get ready for the change of pace that summer naturally brings, it’s time to stock up on supplies for the next school year or business cycle. It’s also a good time to pause and take stock of any new green initiatives that were undertaken throughout the year. Did you try out new products, habits or ways of thinking that made you even just a shade greener? To enter our AusPen giveaway draw this month, let us know what green supplies you’re stocking up on, or what you’re taking stock of.

There are two ways to automatically enter this draw: 1. Leave a comment below or 2. Email us (info@ecosmartworld.com) and you will be automatically entered into a draw for AusPen giveaways!

 

Please note some portion of your submission may be used by EcoSmart Products in promotional material.

AusPen Eco-Friendly Markers at NCEA

Here we are at the huge National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) conference in New Orleans last week.

AusPen Eco-Friendly markers joined about 500 other school vendors at this massive educator’s conference, and we were warmly received. Thanks to everyone for stopping by our booth and sharing our enthusiasm for non-toxic, eco-friendly dry-erase markers! We heard from hundreds of educators about their frustration with smelly marker fumes, the high cost of disposables, and the endless search for markers that work. We look forward to working with all our new edcuators and administrators from this conference to bring a healthier, greener and more cost-effective solution to their whiteboard experience!

New Orleans was an amazing city to visit. Jazz music, carnaval masks, voodoo dolls and colorful beads were an intriguing backdrop to this historic and culturally-rich city. With all the Southern charm and courtesy of the locals, and with being called ma’am at every turn, I felt like I got the respect I finally deserved! I loved the art galleries, restaurants, tourist shops and surround sound of the French Quarter. Thanks for the experience, NCEA!