CLOTH DIAPERS
We use cotton, cloth diapers which we launder on-site in industrial, energy–efficient washer/dryers.

It is estimated that approximately five million tons of untreated waste and a total of two billion tons of urine, feces, plastic and paper are added to landfills annually. It takes approximately 80,000 pounds of plastic, which is a petroleum product, and over 200,000 trees per year to manufacture the disposable diapers for babies in the U.S. alone.
(source: www.thenewparentsguide.com/diapers.html)

LOCAL FIRST
We are committed to supporting local independent businesses. From our lunch menu, to our service and maintenance providers, to our toys and furniture, we consistently choose to do business with local farmers, businesses, and independent companies. For additional support, we often draw on the skill sets of our enrolled families and provide a forum for others to do the same on our parent–run listserve and our annually–published Center directory.

It is our sincere hope that each decision we make can lead to a safer, greener, and more equitable society.

ORGANIC FOODS
Currently, all of the grains, legumes, and dairy served at the school are organic. And, most of our produce is organic as well. Our full–time, on–site Chef establishes personal relationships with local farmers and produce vendors from local farmer’s markets, to purchase our food, to ensure that we know where our food is coming from, and to ensure we know how the food has been treated along the way. Our Chef creates weekly menus based on the produce that is available and in–season. For more information on our commitment to partnering with local farmers and our commitment to serving organic and locally–sourced food at the Center, check out our food blog.

We were also featured in the July 5, 2011 issue of the Oregonian in the FoodDay section about our Center’s commitment to healthy eating, training our children’s palates at a young age and acquainting children with a variety of healthy foods so that they can learn about the individual taste, texture and look of every vegetable.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
Children become familiar with these three R’s early on at ChildRoots.

Reduce always comes first. Largely by avoiding disposable materials, our Center uses fewer natural resources, less energy, and sends less trash to the landfills. We Purchase goods that use less packaging and we buy our foods in bulk as often as possible. And, we can often extend Co–Op purchasing opportunities to our ChildRoots community.

Reusing items, like cloth diapers and hand towels made from old t-shirts, is one of the primary ways we reduce waste. Additionally you will find a variety of materials in the Center made from repurposed items. We source much of our office and art supplies from SCRAP. We also accept donations of odds and ends from enrolled families.

Many of the school’s furnishings are custom–designed and fabricated, often from found, reclaimed or scrap wood.

Other items we re-purpose: Baby food jars make perfect drinking cups. Scrap office paper can be found in the preschool writing centers. The bags used to send home children’s wet clothes or diapers are usually old plastic grocery store bags donated by families and staff.

Our Center has a system that allows us to recycle and compost whatever we can. Our staff is educated on how to sort and separate recyclables for city pick up. In addition, appropriate food waste goes into our compost to use in our garden boxes, where the children grow various flowers and vegetables.

CLEANING AND SANITIZING PRODUCTS
Because we know that the chemicals used at the center have an impact on our health and the health of the environment, we seek out alternative and safe cleaning supplies for daily use.

ChildRoots is aerosol–free and bleach–free!

We use earth–and–child–friendly cleaning products made by Sustainable Earth. Their Neutral PH Cleaner is safe and effective for many of our routine cleaning chores.

We also use Bac-Out by Biokleen. As an additive to our laundry detergents, Bac-Out eliminates organic stains, odors and wastes with a blend of natural live aerobic and anaerobic enzyme cultures.

White vinegar and baking soda round out our non-toxic cleaning supplies. Diluted vinegar cleans the smudges off windows and other smooth surfaces. Baking soda is great for fighting odors and scrubbing sinks.

ENERGY
With continually rising energy costs and the immediate need to reduce our contributions to global climate change, conservation of energy is increasingly important. This is why we expressly purchase only energy-efficient appliances. We are a Pacific Power “Blue Sky” customer and we choose to purchase renewable energy.