When I was younger, I was convinced my generation would save the planet. These days, though, I’m also worried about saving money, saving time, and saving my sanity. But some of my idealism remains and I’m excited to see a new generation taking up the effort to reduce waste, reuse, and recycle–especially when it is also good for their health and their parent’s budgets.
Riley Hoffer, age 11, is the activist, philanthropist, and “kidtrepreneur” founder of CG Kidz. She is passionate about helping children and schools become greener. On cgkidz.com, you can recognize a Green Kid, learn about Greening Your School, and find out more about Green Team appearances.
In addition to managing cgkidz.com, Riley speaks with students around the United States, helping them green their schools. Her parents helped her manufacture the CG Kidz Riley bottle, a 500ml Stainless Steel Water bottle designed by Riley. Proceeds from the purchase of the official CG Kidz bottle are donated to schools across the country that are in need of assistance to fund their green initiatives.
The Riley Bottle ($7) has a sweetly chic environmentally-conscious design that evokes recycling in its circles and swirls and would be appropriate for a younger kid’s lunchbox or an older teen’s backpack. Stainless steel bottles encourage kids to drink more water and also reduce the waste and cost of disposable plastic bottles.
For the youngest eco-warrior, there is also a CG Kidz stainless sippy cup with a silicone spout ($12.50). The top does not leak and my toddler likes the brightly colored handles…and one day she can be proud that she promoted earth-friendly values from the start while steering clear of BPA and phthalates.
Riley explains, “The reason that I started the website was to get my friends and other kids my age involved so we can do our part to really make a difference. I think if we keep spreading the word, every kid in the US will jump in and do their part.”
—
Want It: Visit cgkidz.com to purchase environmentally products, ranging from $4 to $15, including the Riley Bottle ($7) and Sippy Cup ($12.50). A portion of the profits goes towards helping schools go green.
Win It: Five (5) lucky winners will receive a Riley Bottle so they can look cool, stay healthy, and help keep the planet clean. Just leave us a comment on this post by 11:59 PM EST November 19, with one way kids can go green.
If you want a second and third entry, help us spread the word! Second Entry: Use the social networking/bookmarking icons at the bottom of this post to share this post. Third Entry: Use your favorite social networking/bookmarking service to share cgkidz.com. Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry so it will count!
