Just let me know about 'greenbacks'

The flavor of the month has been clogging up my e-mail box for about the last week. And, I’m not talking news from Baskin-Robbins. It seems like everyone and their brother, neighbors, etc. feels they need to push their “green” products on this journalist. In my trash folder, I have four e-mails from the same public relations firm, on the same subject: eco-friendly back to school ideas. I say send the kids with a chalkboard, chalk and eraser. Forget the lined paper and save a tree. Even Yahoo! has gotten in on the act with this e-mail pitch: “For many parents, back-to-school means green -- spending green that is. However, back-to-school can mean a different kind of green. As families plan for back-to-school, Yahoo!’s green expert has tips and tools to help families become and stay green throughout the school year. From school supplies to carpool, Yahoo! has the inside scoop on going green.” Here’s another, from a different entity, “Book bags, gym bags and sports equipment are thrown everywhere and are often covered in germs. Unfortunately, germs can create bad odors. Odorzout is a natural green answer that will get the smell out! It doesn’t mask, perfume or cover up an odor, it just eliminates it!” It does go on to say the retail price is $9.99 and up. Hey, if this some of this stuff can be thrown in the washing machine, with an eco-friendly detergent, why not try that? Let the other stuff hang outside to air out. And, here’s the real spoiler: A “green” birthday party where children invite party guests to contribute money online. The Web site behind this then pools and divides the fund with half going toward the purchase of “ONE memorable gift for the birthday child and the other half going to a charity of their choice.” They talking two kinds of “green here.” as in green for the environment and green in “greenbacks” slang for paper currency. I say send out Evites and let the kid have their birthday money. If they want to donate it, that’s their choice. But if it’s a smart kid, they, themselves, will be their favorite charity. I’m taking a hiatus from reading e-mails with “green” in the subject line from addresses I don’t recognize. However, I will continue to read about “greenbacks.”