Sumac holds a 'green' fundraiser

Every day is Earth Day at Sumac Elementary School in Agoura Hills.

The school even has found an environmentally friendly way to raise funds.

Rather than the traditional gift wrap or cookie dough fundraiser, the school's parent-faculty club launched a "green" fundraising drive through "Greenraising," a national, nonprofit, "eco-conscious" organization founded last year by Lisa and Mike Olson, parents of three children at the school.

Sumac students are selling reusable grocery bags, multiuse water bottles and biodegradable household cleaners, among other items, to raise money for the school's computer, music and physical education programs.

Students are also selling jewelry made by women's cooperatives in Guatemala. Each piece of jewelry sold provides enough money to educate a child in Guatemala for one and a half months, Lisa Olson said. A portion of the sales also goes into the Sumac kitty.

"In these days of childhood obesity, Sumac's PFA opted out of cookie dough and candy bar sales," Olson said. "These kids are acting locally and globally."

The drive kicked off on April 24 for Earth Day. Order forms from catalog sales are due tomorrow, Fri., May 2, parents can purchase items online through www.greenraising .com at any time and specify Sumac Elementary School to receive a portion of the proceeds. Product samples can be viewed in the Sumac administration office.

Popular items include reusable water bottles and "wrap n' mats," an alternative to a plastic baggie, Olson said. She described the product as placemat that closes with Velcro. After it's used it can be tossed into the washing machine, she said.

"I really like the water bottles they have," said Sumac parent Charlene Ross. "My pet peeve is plastic water bottles- I love the convenience, but it's not worth the impact on the environment."

According to some estimates, manufacturing a bottle of drinking water contaminates three gallons of water. Just one in four empty water bottles is recycled while millions of plastic bottles end up in landfills.

Ross said she also finds the lunch bags made out of old juice boxes a great choice for her children. The recycled bags, made by women in the Philippines, help them boost their standard of living.

Lisa Kearns, another Sumac, parent, said the items allow her to teach her son about recycling. "It gives him something to think about every day."

The goal, Olson said, is to raise $2,000 for underfunded school programs. During the catalog sales period, the school makes 40 percent of the total. Throughout the rest of the year, 25 percent of total sales goes to the school when products are ordered online.

Greenraising has inspired ecofriendly fundraising across the nation. Olson said more than 400 schools are now registered with the online source.

"Parents are buying things they want to buy, not just to support the school."

For information, call Sumac Elementary at (818) 991-4940 or visit www.greenraising.com.