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Toxics-free child care: featured facilities

Garbage and recycling  ›  Green on the job  ›  Toxics-free child care  ›  Featured child care facilities

Hear from local child care providers that took simple steps to reduce the use of toxic cleaners, helping kids and the environment.

ChildRoots, A Center for Young Children

Southeast Portland

ChildRoots, A Center for Young Children makes sustainability part of everyday business. The noticeable absence of plastic and disposable products. The use of natural materials blending seamlessly with a color palette that brings the outside in. Upon entering the southeast Portland child care center, it’s clear things are a little different here.

Executive Director Christina Unga considers health and environment when making purchasing choices for ChildRoots. Materials are chosen for their safety and life span, with preference for items that can be repaired and reused. The center has had the benefit of being designed from the ground up with safer building materials and a ventilation system that keeps air fresh. Beyond the built environment, ChildRoots also works to keep toxins out of its cleaning products, personal care products, art supplies and food.

Unga has learned to be more environmentally savvy by researching, “asking lots of questions” and hearing from inquiring and informed parents, many of whom chose ChildRoots for its environmental commitment. She admits it can cost more to be eco-friendly but notes, “Not every green choice comes with a higher price tag. When we find ways to reuse items or to eliminate waste, we are saving money.”

Through simple cost-cutting steps such as replacing paper hand towels with T-shirt scraps, using chalkboards instead of paper and markers and sourcing the nonprofit School and Community Reuse Action Project for art supplies, Unga has kept costs down while finding new ways to make ChildRoots environmentally sustainable.

Joyful Learning Preschool & Home Child Care

Northeast Portland

Jory Aronson began making changes at her home-based child care business because she “wanted children to have a good future” and was seeking ways to do more for them. Aronson’s opportunity arrived when two families volunteered their time and green know-how to support her efforts. The volunteers helped Aronson inventory her cleaning supplies and replace the hazardous products with greener cleaners. 

The families also helped Aronson buy organic produce. “I always felt there were too many time and cost constraints to being more green,” says Aronson, “but once I saw how much I was saving by making my own green cleaners, I was able to use the savings for other things like organic foods.”

Aronson delights in the simple low- and no-cost steps taken to keep toxic chemicals out of her home. Cleaners made with simple ingredients work great, shoes are now removed at the door and hand-washing is done with pure castile soap bought in bulk and diluted.

She plans to continue practicing and learning more about greening her home. “Once you start, you become more and more aware of all the things you can do that really make a difference in keeping children and the planet healthy.”

Creative Minds Learning Centers

Portland area locations 

Creative Minds Learning Centers is making environmental stewardship part of the curriculum. Its five Portland area child development centers includes hands-on learning about recycling and composting, including letting kids get their hands dirty growing organic foods. The young stewards have even learned to sort recyclables from lunch leftovers. Plus, parents are asked to contribute recyclables from home for reuse in creative projects throughout the school.

Regional director Brittany Galego sees lack of know-how as a main hurdle to going green but believes that supplementing research with staff and parent support helps a lot. “Our approach keeps changing and evolving thanks to our community commitment,” says Galego.

Creative Minds staff are eager to further grow their green program. The company participates in the national Eco-Healthy Child Care program, which endorses providers that implement best practices for an environmentally healthy facility, and supports the development of renewable energy through its utility, Pacific Power. In addition, the center’s new school menu will focus on more local, sustainable foods.