Crayola Products Are Going Green for Back to School Supplies

Have you been teaching your children about recycling and saving the Earth? Here is a new way to become environmentally savvy and one that children can relate to. Crayola, a leading manufacturer of crayons and art materials is going green. They are taking a leap forward toward greener products made from recycled materials to provide an eco-friendly planet for our children and future generations.

According to Mike Perry, Crayola president and chief executive officer, "We believe that the creativity and originality of children will lead the way in making the world a greener place. By using renewable energy, reducing waste and protecting the rainforests, we are committed to doing our part to ensure that today's kids have a healthy environment for their creative tomorrows."

Crayola begins their process with the help of solar panels at their headquarters and manufacturing plant in Easton, Pennsylvania. The factory will be powered by the sun with 26,000 solar panels. By August 5, 2010 the factory will be officially "plugged in." The company has partnered with PPL Renewable Energy and UGI to make this renewable energy project happen. This will help Crayola to produce one billion crayons per year.

So, when you take your children back to school shopping for the 2010 school year you will find new Crayola products with the green recycle icon on the box. The company plans to use recycled bottle caps to produce the plastic for their markers which will keep plenty of plastic away from the landfills. The new barrels of the markers will be black versus the white plastic now which allows for more recycled plastic to be used. So, "black is the new green" for this product.

Their next project is to make colored pencils from reforested wood, and for every tree that is cut down, a new tree will be planted in the same place. Crayola wants to protect the rainforests and endangered species so no wood will be taken from there.

And of course their solar panels will produce crayons with power from the sun. You will find the newer "green" crayons packaged in the 24-count boxes this school year.

Visit Crayola's website for more information about this new eco-evolution of their company and all the school and art products they have to offer. There is a wonderful video on site that teaches the children about how the sun can power facilities to make things and how recycling can change the earth.

I'm truly happy about this transformation of the products my children love and I'll feel that I'm doing a service to the environment when I purchase recycled products. So, look for the green logo when buying this year's school supplies.

Sources:

http://www.crayola.com/green/presskit.cfm

Press Release from Conye Public Relations