A major source of waste in America is school supplies. Often made of plastic and rarely reused between academic years, school supplies like pens, paper notebooks, and plastic pencil cases usually end up in landfills after a single year of use. Since school supplies are something that students need year after year, they are one of the easiest types of products to reuse. Here are a few examples of some eco-friendly school supplies that were made with the planet in mind, and are good quality enough to reuse.
1. Plantable Pencils
Mechanical pencils are a favorite for many students, but they are extremely wasteful. The plastic pencils and tubed lead refills are not good for the environment. An emerging solution is plantable pencils, which are made of wood and capped with a biodegradable seed packet instead of an eraser. When your pencil is too stubby to continue writing with, throw it in a pot and plant it like a regular seed!
2. Natural Erasers
Since plantable pencils contain seed packets where an eraser would typically be, purchasing an individual eraser is a good investment for students. The most environmentally conscious choice is to opt for a zero-waste eraser that is made from rubber latex.
3. Refillable Fountain Pens
Reduce the waste from plastic pens and opt for a more sustainable option, like a refillable fountain pen. This will help conserve ink when it is not being used, and refilling the ink instead of the entire pen will cut down on plastic waste.
4. Cloth Pencil Case
Instead of opting for a plastic pencil case or box that will take up extra space and contribute to plastic waste when it is inevitably thrown away in between school years, opt for a bag that is made from a cloth material like cotton. This will be more durable and can easily be reused for the entirety of you or your child’s academic career.
5. Recycled Notebooks
Notebooks are one of the biggest wastes of paper in America each year. A major way to cut back on paper waste is by investing in a notebook made from recycled paper or other materials. You can take notes or doodle with peace of mind, knowing that a recycled notebook was made with the Earth in mind.
Aside from purchasing eco-friendly school supplies for yourself or your child, encouraging school administrators or other parents to do the same is a great step to take in making your school more sustainable. Whether you can communicate this message at a PTO meeting or use hosted VOIP for private schools to communicate with members of the school, stressing the importance of switching to things like recycled paper or only biodegradable school supplies is an easy way to live a more sustainable life while teaching students the importance of making environmentally conscious decisions.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
