BURLINGTON, VT--(Marketwire - August 2, 2010) - Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer will soon be a distant memory as parents and kids prepare to open a new chapter of the school year -- but not without fret. According to a new survey commissioned by Seventh Generation, the nation's leading brand of environmentally responsible household and personal care products, half of all parents surveyed expressed more concern for the spread of germs (51 percent) than exposure to drugs/alcohol (28 percent) and poor grades (45 percent).
The Seventh Generation Back to School survey uncovered the classroom concerns of parents and teachers of children in grades K-5. With the flu season approaching, it's evident that germs have become more top of mind for everyone. Four in five parents (82 percent) confess to worrying about the germs in their kids' classrooms. Parents of children in this age group worry just as much about them bringing home germs (50 percent) as they do about a less-than-perfect report card (50 percent).
Notorious for their lesson plans, teachers revealed in the Seventh Generation Back to School survey, that they are forming plans to take action against the spread of germs in the classroom. In an average week, K-5 teachers clean the tops of their students' desks and use disinfecting products on high-contact areas, such as doorknobs, at least once a day. Many teachers also reported that they ask parents to donate germ-fighting products at the beginning of the school year, with sixty percent specifically requesting disinfecting wipes. Despite their best efforts to disinfect the classrooms effectively, 82 percent of teachers expressed concern about the potential health effects from these cleaning products, such as allergies, asthma, and skin irritation.
"To ensure a healthy back to school season, it's important that we educate young children about healthy habits like proper hand washing techniques after sneezing, coughing and using the restroom," said Dr. Alan Greene, best-selling author and practicing pediatrician. "It's also important for parents and teachers to look for no-compromise ways to kill germs, like Seventh Generation's disinfecting wipes that kill germs* naturally on surfaces."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 22 million school days are lost annually due to the common cold, with the average child contracting 6.5 colds a year. Dr. Greene suggests taking the following precautions to keep children safe from germs:
Optimize the immune system
- Reap the benefits of probiotics like those found in yogurt. A recent study showed that children who received enough probiotics daily throughout the cold and flu season had a significant reduction in the number of illnesses they had and, when they did get sick, the symptoms were both milder and didn't last as long.
- Be sure your child is getting plenty of vitamin D from the sun, from food, or from a supplement.
- Build a strong foundation. Good food, good sleep, and good physical activity all help the immune system to flourish.
Be wise about reducing unnecessary exposure to harmful germs
- Teach children the key times to clean their hands in the classroom. The most important times include after sneezing, coughing or using the restroom, upon leaving "high-risk" places (recess, naptime, play stations) and before meals or snacks.
- Sixty percent of teachers surveyed said that they request that parents donate disinfecting wipes to the classroom on the first day of school. Seventh Generation's disinfecting wipes are Powered By CleanWell™ and kill 99.99% of germs* naturally, using the active ingredient thymol, a component of thyme oil, derived from the herb thyme.
- Stress the importance of not touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Demonstrate to your children how to cover their mouth and nose for every cough and sneeze. This simple maneuver has spectacular results in decreasing the spread of viruses and bacteria floating about the room, waiting to be inhaled.
For more healthy back to school tips, or to learn more about Seventh Generation's line of disinfecting products, please visit www.seventhgeneration.com.
About Seventh Generation Disinfecting Cleaners
An innovative partnership with CleanWell Company, makers of the patented thyme-based disinfecting technology, brings you a line of Seventh Generation Disinfecting Cleaners that are Powered By Cleanwell™. The active ingredient in the disinfectant line, thymol, is a component of thyme oil which is derived from the herb thyme. These products kill 99.99 percent of germs* naturally on hard non-porous surfaces in a streak-free formula that enables quick and easy cleaning. The products deodorize and effectively control odors. Seventh Generation's disinfecting cleaners are classified in the lowest of four EPA toxicity categories.
*Refer to disinfecting product labels for full details.
About Seventh Generation
Seventh Generation is committed to being the most trusted brand of household and personal-care products for your living home. Our products are healthy solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people within your home -- and for the community and environment outside of it. Seventh Generation also offers baby products that are safe for your children and the planet.
The company derives its name from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy that states, "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." Every time you use a Seventh Generation product you are making a difference by saving natural resources, reducing pollution, and making the world a better place for this and the next seven generations.
For information on Seventh Generation cleaning, paper, baby and feminine personal care products, to find store locations, and explore the company's website visit www.seventhgeneration.com. To read more about Seventh Generation's corporate responsibility, visit the Corporate Consciousness Report at: www.seventhgeneration.com/corporate-responsibility/2008.
About CleanWell Company
CleanWell Company's mission was born over a decade ago from a family's need to find cleaning and disinfecting products that could be used around the founder's severely immune compromised son. The CleanWell scientific team was the first to discover how to blend thyme oil to kill 99.99% of germs naturally. CleanWell is passionately committed to developing innovative solutions that offer consumers a way to clean without compromise. For information about CleanWell Company visit www.cleanwelltoday.com.
Survey Methodology:
The Seventh Generation Back to School Survey was conducted by Kelton Research on behalf of Coyne Public Relations between May 21st and May 27th, 2010 using an email invitation and an online survey that was completed by 400 parents and 300 teachers of children in grades K-5. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.9 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Erin Bobal at ebobal@coynepr.com.
Contact Information:
Contact:
Meghan Butler
(802) 540-3519
meb@seventhgeneration.com
www.seventhgeneration.com
Erin Bobal
(212) 938-0166
ebobal@coynepr.com
