Posted on May 23, 2013 by admin / No comments

Perhaps you’ve caught yourself saying things that begin with; “When I was a young…” in an effort to bring a reality check to a particular youngster? It’s hard not to, I must admit. But then, I saw one movie during my childhood (Little Orphan Annie), wore Toughskin jeans, and could fit my sticker collection in an album and marble collection in a pouch. I secretly knew most of the cards of our deck of cards from the various creases and marks on the back, and I didn’t think twice about re-adjusting the fork in the tv antenna for better reception. We weren’t hard done by – this was just the norm. Today there are so many more options and a bigger flow of purchase and discard of products. I embrace today’s advanced technology and development of products and toys that are more efficient, eco-friendly, non-toxic, creative and globally-minded.

The question for me is finding the balance between being a consumer of great products and falling into the trap of over consumption. Here’s what I mean, clearly this generation has a leg up:

What a Mother Really Wants for Mother’s Day

Posted on May 9, 2013 by admin / No comments

A homemade craft involving popsicle sticks, felt or sparkles would be nice. A stick figure drawing of me, with my arms outstretched across the page, big yellow sun and all, would be a keeper. But what a mother really wants for Mother’s Day is less tangible, more complex to acquire. A mother wants a home with items that are safe to be around, food that does not put her family at risk, and habits that will grow into actions that will help the community. We try to equip our homes with non-toxic, eco-friendly, sustainable and healthy items and food. And daily we read in the news that we are falling short.

This is a letter from the moms on the EcoSmart team to our children. The oldest is 12, the others are hot on his heels. We are still in the heyday of childhood. But wings are beginning to unfurl…

Dear Kids,

We were always conscientious moms. We each drove home from the hospital, white-knuckling the steering wheel, eyeing the bundle in the carseat, with heightened awareness of the fragility of life. We had become protectors.

Nevertheless, we lovingly fed you from bottles that we now know had BPA, a chemical that has been banned for its connection to cancer, fertility issues and behaviour problems in children. We proudly served you homemade meals on plastic IKEA plates that had gone through the dishwasher countless times, and were surely leaching plastic additives into your food. We tearfully sent you off to kindergarden with your Dora or Spiderman backpacks that have since been discovered to have phthlate levels so high that they would be illegal products if they were toys.

We’ve changed with the times. Now we send you to school with non-toxic school supplies instead of ones with PVC plastic, xylene and lead. We share bowls of air popped popcorn instead of the kind from microwavable bags, the lining of which contains a ’likely carcinogen’ that breaks down in the heat. And we’re good with soap and water instead of the antibacterial products with the hormone-messer-upper, Tricoslan.

Now, our real wish for Mother’s Day is for you to pull through those toxic exposures in good health, and that you continue to see the world with hope, possibilities and promise. Soon the world outside your home will capture more and more of your attention. We say: Go ahead, then, and give it your attention. Give the world your creative approach to problem-solving. Give to your community from the wellsprings of your energy, optimism, and sense of altruism. We can’t predict what you will bring to the table. And we can’t wait to see it either!

Love,

The Moms at EcoSmart Products

 

 

 

EcoSmart Products Free Giveaway Draw, Spring 2013!

Posted on May 2, 2013 by admin / No comments

It’s a free contest!

Welcome to EcoSmart’s giveaway sweepstakes program where your thoughts can get you great free eco-friendly products.  We ask, you answer. All entries are entered into the draw for non-toxic, refillable markers!

Spring into Green

Pulling the bikes out of the garage, attacking spring cleaning with all-natural products, stocking up on eco-friendly products before summer vacation, eating locally and organically, taking environmental education outdoors…. there are so many ways in which spring can bring out the best in going green.

For our springtime EcoSmart giveaway draw, we’re asking:

What’s your springtime act of green?

Whether it’s a part of a collective initiative at work or school, or whether it’s a personal goal, intention or habit, we’d love to know. Share a thought to enter this draw for our eco-friendly markers!

 

Post your comment on our Facebook wall, or email us at info@ecosmartworld.com  and you will automatically be entered into EcoSmart’s giveaway draw! This contest runs until June 30, 2013 and the winner will be contacted, then announced on Facebook.

 

 

You are welcome to share your AusPen experiences, but your story does not have to be limited to AusPen eco-friendly markers. Please note some portion of your submission may be used by EcoSmart Products in promotional material, or your comments may just amuse, educate or influence our readers.

Earth Day Ideas, 2013

Posted on April 22, 2013 by admin / No comments

Earth Day! For those who are committed to more eco-consicous living on a daily basis, Earth Day can be a time of celebration and reflection of these year-round efforts. It can also be a time of re-jigging, re-thinking and re-committing. For those who work or teach in an environment that is trying – as a collective – to be a bit greener, Earth Day can be a great occasion to come together and brainstorm. Hope you have your AusPen non-toxic, refillable markers on hand!

 

 

Here are some fun activities for the office or school on Earth Day:
1. Make eco teams (say: Earth, Wind, Fire and Air) that create a spirit of friendly competition with one another to bring eco-activities to life. Vie with one another for the sake of the betterment of your environment!

2. Create a vision statement, logo or public service announcement for your school or place of work. Get as creative as you can to make a lasting impression!

3. Turn an audit into art. To find out what is making it into your garbage system, conduct a waste audit of all trash except washroom trash. The audit can be as formal or informal, lengthy or brief as you decide. Once you have an idea of what is being discarded, make a plan to reduce your waste – begin a composting program, commit to litterless lunches, look into reuseable products. But first, wouldn’t the trash make a nice sculpture in the entrance way as a reminder that this is a place that reduces waste? (I’m seeing a creature made out of ink cartridges, junk keyboards, disposable dry-erase markers and pens, lunchables that can be washed out, shredded paper, lost and found items like single shoes and mittens, and discarded art supplies like old paint bottles and brushes…)

4. Take it outside. It’s spring, the best time to take one step further in greening your outdoor space. Planting gardens, or trees, purchasing and dedicating a bench, installing rain barrels, laying down new mulch… there are so many ways to involve everyone in creating an inviting outdoor environment.

5. It all adds up. Nothing will prompt us more to reduce our ecological footprint than finding out what our own impact is, how we are contributing to pollution and the use of resources. For Earth Day, try calculating just how many resources the students, their families or the school are using, and even better, how many can be saved.

The free online calculators from the Global Footprint Network are a fun (and shocking!) way of calculating your eco footprint. The site offers a kid’s version with questions such as: How often do you eat meat products? It also gives tips on how to reduce your environmental impact. Similarly, Myfootprint.org offers quizzes to find out your demand on resources.

With these school or office activities, your love and concern for the planet will be translated into actions, big and small. Every sustainable choice is a marker along the path. At EcoSmart Products, we hope your Earth Day can serve as an opportunity to reflect on green actions taken throughout the year and new commitments to be carried out in the months to come.

From all of us at EcoSmart Products: Happy Earth Day!

 

Teachers: A Look at Toxic Chemicals In Our Lives

Posted on April 10, 2013 by admin / No comments

Our friends at UnacceptableLevels.com has put together a trailer for their award-winning documentary exposing the toxic chemicals around us. If you are a teacher, I thought this would be a great conversation-starter. Far from leaving us feeling overwhelmed or like giving up, the message of the documentary is that there is a common agreement among the scientific community that it is time for change. The 4-minute trailer makes you pause and wonder about the effects of all the toxic chemicals in our everyday environment and in our bodies. 80,000 chemicals are at work around us.

At EcoSmart Products, we are so proud to be offering a healthier alternative to the toxic markers that are regularly used in classrooms. Can there be any doubt that we must change the products we buy and the standards that we demand?

Take a look at Unacceptable Level’s trailer:

Cabrillo College Expands Systematic Efforts to Go Green with AusPen Refillable Dry-Erase Markers

Posted on April 3, 2013 by admin / No comments

Carlos Figueroa, a physics teacher at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California, could no longer stand the waste of the dozens of dry-erase markers he was throwing out every semester. When he considered all the plastic markers being discarded every semester by all of the college instructors combined, that’s when he turned his Science Division onto refillable dry-erase markers, marking another step in the Cabrillo College’s systematic efforts to go green. “I’ve been teaching for 14 years,” explained Figueroa doing a quick mental calculation of the number of markers he has gone through, “Just imagine what this is doing nationwide.” Using a dry-erase marker that is refillable is a ‘no-brainer’ according to Figueroa. Since then, approximately half of the instructors in the Natural and Applied Sciences Division have opted for AusPen non-toxic, refillable markers – a step that has significantly reduced waste at Cabrillo College.

 

“Some people are very sensitive to the toxins in regular dry-erase markers,” explains Figueroa, acknowledging one of the benefits of choosing a non-toxic marker, “but what really hit me was the waste of disposable markers. There was a drawer in one of the classrooms that had hundreds of used, dried markers. That drawer was the real thing for me in realizing the amount of waste.” Figueroa discovered that a colleague was using AusPen eco-friendly markers, a dry-erase marker made of recycled materials that is non-toxic and refillable. Five years later, Figueroa continues to use AusPen markers and persuade his colleagues to make the switch.

Using a refillable marker is a no-brainer. The students say: ‘That’s an obvious choice.’

To make a stronger case for the reusable product, Figueroa compared the cost of purchasing disposable markers each semester versus refilling his AusPen markers. In addition to reduced waste and a non-toxic alternative, the cost savings convinced the administration to offer this alternative in addition to the regular, single-use markers. Now the Natural and Applied Sciences Division of Cabrillo College makes refill inks available for its instructors, saving approximately $600 per semester in the Physics Department alone.

 

Non-Toxic, Refillable AusPen Markers

Despite the cost savings, Figueroa says that given a refillable option, “It is wrong to use disposable markers. [AusPen markers] are easy to refill. I do it in front of my students because it doesn’t take long, and they see it as part of my routine.” The students themselves see the refillable marker as an obvious choice. “There is a drive in Santa Cruz, as in other parts of California, to be as green as possible, to search out alternative products and practices. And this fits right in,” explains Figueroa.

 

In late 2012, a sustainable purchasing resolution was passed by the Student Senate at Cabrillo College requiring all clubs, their members, and the Student Senate to purchase and use sustainable products, not only for the sake of those on campus, but also in consideration of “the health of those who produce” the consumer goods. Sustainable options for plates, utensils and napkins include products that are biodegradable, (such as potato and sugar cane-based products), washable, or recyclable.

 

Cabrillo College is going green with a diversity of other initiatives, including a bike sharing program, an online carpooling option, and GreenSteps, a program which, among other things, focuses on energy savings and sustainable practices, campus-wide. To really mark the campus as a leader in sustainability, Cabrillo College opened the new, Solari Green Technology Center in Fall 2012, which has achieved the ‘Platinum’ Certified level under the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

 

As Cabrillo College continues to build its way into a more sustainable future, its instructors are learning how to leave their mark, without accumulating untold marker waste. For a physics instructor who is imagining the waste savings over the next 10 years, he can continue to teach his courses a little less haunted by the drawer of dead markers.

 

For more information on the sustainability initiatives at Cabrillo College, go to: http://www.cabrillo.edu/associations/climate/

For more information about AusPen eco-friendly markers, go to: http://www.ecosmartworld.com

 

5 Things You Knew Couldn’t Be Good For Your Health*

Posted on March 28, 2013 by admin / No comments

*And now science says they aren’t.

We’ve seen a big shift in our lifetime about what we consider to be healthy and safe. Your health is a daily topic in the news, and the safety and risks of products are under increasingly intense scrutiny. From chosing non-toxic, eco-friendly, natural products to weighing the impact of our choices on the environment, we can easily say that we are wiser consumers now. For a trip down memory lane, EcoSmart Products takes a look at 5 things we knew couldn’t be good for our health – and now we know they aren’t.

1.  Smelly markers. How many of us spent our childhood days taking deep inhales of the magenta marker to really see if it smelled like raspberries? Turns out VOC vapors from smelly permanent, washable and dry-erase markers are not so good for the brain. Depending on the toxicity of the ingredients in those markers (like xylene and toluene), all that sniffing can lead to breathing difficulties, brain fog, headaches and even create an addiction. That stinks.

2. Suntan oil and tin foil reflectors. We looked like a turkey basting in the oven, and loved it. We would do anything to get a solid tan, no matter if we got burned. Now we know that sun ages the skin, adding years and a leathery appearance to our look. Science has taught us that ultraviolet (UV) radiation damages the genes in our skin cells and increases the risk of skin cancer. Not the look of health that we were going for!

3. Cheese in an aerosol spray can. This cheese, so popular during the 70′s-80′s comes in a pressurized can, so there is no need for refrigeration. No fridge, and no crackers necessary. With Easy Cheese – just spray directly into the mouth. You can find modern-day videos on You Tube of people downing a whole bottle of spray cheese, but for the most part, I think we’re turned off the less-than-natural ingredients in spray cheese.

4. Fish Friday. If your family tried to stick to eating fish on Fridays, chances are you were partaking of the Dirty Dozen fish. This is not to say that all fish is unhealthy. It’s just that certain fish are not a good choice either because they are being overharvested and run the risk of extinction, or they are contaminated with industrial contaminants like mercury and PCBs, or they have been doused in antibiotics or pesticides. We know now to avoid: Atlantic salmon, imported catfish, Atlantic cod, imported shrimp, and Atlantic Bluefin Tuna.

5. Plastics, plastics everywhere. We put flimsy plastic products in the microwave, dishwasher and in our baby’s mouths. I can recall pulling the cling wrap off my reheated dinner from the microwave, and the plastic film looked more like a liquid than a solid. We now know that plastics – a by-product of petroleum – vary in their stability and can leach toxic chemicals into our food and environment.

What are your favorite faux-pas of the past? Drop us a line on our Facebook page!

 

 

Easter Egg Coloring With Your AusPen Non-Toxic Ink

Posted on March 19, 2013 by admin / No comments

Easter Egg Coloring with AusPen Ink

If you’re looking for a fun way to decorate Easter eggs this year, look no further than your AusPen refill inks! It’s an easy and non-toxic way to color your Easter eggs. With this version of Easter egg decorating, little hands can easily get involved. The eggs in this picture were hand-crafted by my young nieces! Step one: Either hard-boil or hollow your eggs. The advantage to hard-boiled eggs is that they are more durable for children to decorate them. The disadvantage, of course, is that they can’t be saved from one year to the next. To hollow out the egg, create a pin hole in the bottom of the egg, and blow the yoke out.  Step two: Use your AusPen markers to draw designs on the eggs. This is a handy way to decorate for the youngest enthusiasts.  Step three: Drop single drops of ink on your egg. You can use a paintbrush to spread the ink, or just let the abstract designs take hold! If you get ink on your fingers, it can be easily washed off, but make sure not to get the ink on your clothes.  Step four: Display your decorated Easter eggs for all to see!

 

Happy Easter, from the EcoSmart team!

Take the EcoSmart Earth Day Challenge!

Posted on March 13, 2013 by admin / No comments

Looking for an activity to rally around at your office or school to get ready for Earth Day next month? There are many simple acts of green that will have a big impact, from establishing a composting system, ensuring that lights are energy-saving, installing a bike rack, planning an outdoor space with seating, and replacing toxic and wasteful products with eco-friendly ones.

Here’s the EcoSmart Earth Day Challenge for your office or school.

Step 1: Collect all the dried up disposable markers from around the office or school.

Step 2: After 1 month, tally up the disposed markers.

Step 3: Replace those markers with refillable AusPen Markers.

Step 4: Enjoy adding a few drops of ink into your marker every now and then, and never throwing out a dried marker again!

The recap:

AusPen Eco-Friendly Markers Sponsors Global Design Jam

Posted on March 11, 2013 by admin / No comments

EcoSmart Products was a proud sponsor of the recent Global Design Jam in San Jose, California, hosted by 500eco.com. The Jam is part of an international event where designers, innovators and inventors from over 100 locations on 6 continents get together to design a new service.

The organizers turned to EcoSmart Products for the necessary tools to capture the creative flow of the gathering. We thought: what would a Design Jam be without AusPen non-toxic, refillable dry-erase markers?

Looking forward to the fruits of the San Jose service jam ideas!

Do you brainstorm at your work or school? AusPen markers are a great tool: they come in 6 vibrant colors, they are non-toxic (so even your co-worker that gets headaches from markers can participate), and they are refillable for endless ideas. Better get your refillable coffee cups…