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!LL GREEN AND A BAG OF CHIPS
Fabkins—wiping away waste, dirty chins since 2008.
Welcome to Marin, the eco-friendly lunchbox capital of the world...
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like packing waste-free s I was running laps around a local satisfied with the bulky metal containers and lunches. More than high school track, I counted five dis- plastic options on the market, so they came up with a solution. “We custom-designed 20 companies joined the carded plastic baggies. I lost count PlanetBox out of truly safe and recycled effort on the web and Faof the number of crushed cans, potato [and] recyclable materials, and it is cebook, and thousands of chip wrappers and bottles tossed by durable enough to last for years,” folks shared their greenbeneath the bleachers. And this is Tanya says Caroline, who describes their living tips. in Marin—a county known for its Henr y PlanetBox as a cross between a For Raffo and Rodgers, progressive and environmentally Japanese bento box and TV tray. It’s the simple change that would make friendly practices, a county that made of food-grade stainless steel a big impact came in the form of hopes to achieve a zero-waste status and has multiple compartments that Fabkins, their organic, all-cotton by the year 2020. are designed for sensible amounts of foods. cloth napkin company that features kidShocked by the amount of trash The Miroses hope their lunchbox will make it and lunchbox-size napkins in cheery colors generated in their own children’s schools, easier for parents to pack healthy lunches and with fun, themed appliques. As moms with Lynn Julian and Chance Claxton decided discourage the use of disposable plastic bags young children in pre-school, both women “to educate away the 67 pounds of landfill and containers that can add up to as much as were looking for ways to cut down on the trash that each child generates with school 90 pounds of trash per kid, per year. waste generated in their children’s daily lunches every year.” Together the mompreAlong with their earth-friendly and por- lunches. So when Raffo saw an Oprah segneurs developed a waste-free lunch kit, and tion-control attributes, these lunchboxes can ment where guest Elizabeth Rogers claimed in 2009 Kids Konserve was launched. Their also be personalized with a range of magnets, that Americans use as many as 2,200 paper reusable kits come in a couple of kid-friendly from planets and rockets to retro kitty and un- napkins a year and an average of six per day, designs and include a recycled cotton sack, dersea life themes. “One of my favorite sustain- she had her “aha” moment. The notion of cloth napkin, stainless steel water bottle and able features of PlanetBox is our magnets,” says eliminating millions of pounds of waste going two 8-ounce containers. But they didn’t stop Caroline, “They allow the PlanetBox to grow into landfill inspired the women to launch there. “Our sole focus for the first six months with your child—you can change designs as Fabkins from Rodgers’ parents’ southern was outreach to schools and educating them your child’s interests change, without having Marin garage over three years ago. “We realize on the importance of ‘reuse’ via our Wasteto purchase an entirely new lunchbox.” Color- that having a single product line is challengfree-Challenge,” explains Claxton, whose ful carriers also add to PlanetBox’s cool factor ing,” explains Rodgers, who says that along initiative included giving 15 percent of every and are, of course, made from recycled materi- with their four- and eight-pack options, they sale back to schools in the hopes they would als. Their clever tagline aptly reads, “PlanetBox have recently begun offering personalized put the funds toward a “green program” for the school. Today, the three-year-old company is truly lunch transportation for the green gen- sets and are working with schools to get their eration.” napkins into classroom is leading the way in reusable lunch packing On Earth Day 2010, party kits that can all be products and continues to innovate with creWASTE-FREE LUNCH Joyce Raffo and Paige Rodreused. “Our sweet spot is ative solutions such as turning plastic bottles PACKING SOLUTIONS gers launched Green My really with the young 3- to into a line of lunch sacks. Even an adult opwww.kidskonserve.com Lunchbox, a campaign with 7-year-old set,” says Raffo, tion, U-Konserve, has been added to the mix. a goal of eliminating 1 miladding that her own kids Much like the founders of Kids Konserve, www.planetbox.com lion pounds of waste by enlove them and often start Fairfax parents Robert and Caroline Miros www.fabkins.com couraging people to make conversations around the were dismayed by the trash generated at their www.mimithesardine.com simple changes that would various themes. In addidaughters’ school. They were committed made a big difference— tion to being reusable, it to packing waste-free lunches, but weren’t
seems an added benefit of learning how to use a napkin might result in improved table manners—nothing wrong with that. Though neither women have quit their day jobs—Rodgers is an environmental consultant and Raffo a real estate agent— but both hope to continue to grow the business. “We hope that eventually people will think of our napkins much the same way they think of their water bottles—as a necessity they wouldn’t leave home without,” says Raffo. Raffo also points out that it wasn’t that long ago when quality, stainless steel and stylish glass water bottles weren’t nearly as ubiquitous as they are today. Perhaps it’s time to retire the chemical-covered wipes and opt instead for a colorful, maybe even personalized napkin and avoid those six paper ones we typically use in a day. Not only are the efforts of these local entrepreneurs helping to eliminate the massive amounts of waste we generate, but our kids are also learning the importance of reusing and recycling. Perhaps by educating our kids early—in preschool and grammar school— they’ll think twice before they drop a plastic baggie on their high school track. Better yet, they won’t have baggies; their lunches will be packed in reusable containers. < Recycle Tanya at Tanya@torme.com.
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