Eco-Friendly Options for Back to School

I’m sure I’m not the only one who remembers covering my textbooks with used shopping bags. Who knew we were so eco-chic back then? I also remember coming home with a list of supplies my Mom had to get for me and that Bee Gees lunchbox, made out of who knows what, that I just had to have. When you consider the number of school children, high school and college students in the US and all of the school supplies purchased each year, from pencils and notebooks, to lunch containers and dorm room outfitting, the environmental impact can really add up. When selecting items to pack your kids off for the new school year, why not teach them about choosing things that are better for the planet? Kids seem to be pretty hip on protecting the earth to begin with and with your help, they can lead other students by example.

While some teachers have their students submit work via email these days, cutting down on an amazing amount of paper per classroom, others still require homework be submitted and notes be taken the old fashioned way. When choosing paper products, select those with the highest post-consumer recycled content you can find and look for paper that has been processed chlorine free (PCF). Doing so will save forests and water, reduce waste and minimize toxic dioxin emissions. An internet search for tree free paper will yield a wide assortment of options made of renewable fibers that kids will really get a kick out of, including kenaf, sugar cane pulp called bagasse, the waste bark of banana trees, recycled cotton, hemp and even elephant poop. Some will be pure plant fibers, while others will be mixed with post-consumer recycled content, and all will be a better choice than paper made from trees from old-growth forests. One of many sites with a nice selection of these renewable content papers is EcoPaper. You’ll find a big assortment of recycled-content paper supplies including binders and notebooks on Treecycle. More retail stores are also beginning to carry recycled and PCF paper products as well, so they should be pretty easy to find.

Happily, the world of eco-friendly school and office supplies has expanded way beyond paper. Green Earth Office Supply offers all sorts of cool recycled products including soy crayons, non-toxic chalk, remanufactured inkjet cartridges, non-toxic correction fluid, tagua nut business card holders, recycled and tree-free journals, folders and notebooks, and lots more. Treesmart offers pencils, pens, colored pencils and rulers made with recycled newspaper. Forest Choice pencils, colored pencils and even carpenter pencils are all made with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified incense-cedar pencils which will remind your family of the wonderful smell of your summer hikes in the woods. And who even knew a staple-free stapler existed? While steel used to make staples is recycled, why not forgo it altogether and save the material for something else? This stapler from GreenRaising can easily fit into a backpack and is just adorable. An internet search for green school supplies will open your eyes to a wonderful array of all sorts of great eco-friendly products.

Reusable water bottles, lunch totes, stainless steel containers, sandwich mats, snack bags, cloth napkins, bamboo utensils or your own utensils kept clean in a cool flatware wrap are all options for greening the lunch portion of the school day. Choose water bottles that are made from non-leaching food grade stainless steel rather than aluminum, or glass bottles with safety covers to protect the bottle from breaking, such as those offered by Life Factory. No matter what the plastic, it seems if a beverage is allowed to get warm or sit too long in it, you’ll have a chemical smell or taste, and that can only mean chemicals have leached into what you’re drinking. While it’s best to avoid it, if you must choose plastic, be sure to select bottles marked phthalate and BPA-free. A visit to Eco Bags will bring you to a number of eco-lunch offerings including recycled and organic lunch bags, utensil sets, food wraps and containers. If you’re into supporting small businesses who make their products by hand, you’ll have a ball finding lots of great options on Etsy. If you’re feeling crafty yourself, you can try your hand at making a tote by recycling all those drink pouches the kids have been using. By eliminating disposable drink containers, brown paper bags and napkins, plastic sandwich bags and utensils, you are not only cutting down on waste, but saving yourself a lot of money over the course of the school year to boot, and in today’s economy, who doesn’t appreciate that? If you’re interested in helping other families green their lunch boxes too, why not suggest a fundraiser for the school with these great reusable options. Think of the impact such a fundraiser can have on reducing waste while creating healthier lunches for the kids. Green Elements is one of several companies that offer school fundraising and proceeds can be used to start your own school eco-club.

Fabric bags are not just limited to lunches. There are fabric art totes, book covers, crayon and notebook carriers to name just some of the options that can replace those flimsy and non-renewable plastic options. And eliminating plastic can expand to the dorm room too. If your kids are heading off to college, why not eschew the plastic drawers on wheels and opt instead for a retro, and more than likely equally inexpensive, cabinet or shelves from a local consignment or antique shop. They’ll have a ball refinishing it in a style that suits them using non-toxic paint or wood stain and some cool new pulls. Ditto for the plates, glasses and flatware. You can find some really great sets of dishes and flatware at local reuse shops and garage sales, and you might even find glasses with their favorite cartoon characters, which they might think are particularly fabulous considering the throwback styles found on today’s t-shirts. Select organic sheets that have been dyed using low-impact heavy metal free dyes, organic comforters and pillows made with natural fill rather than poly-synthetics and organic mattresses. Select energy-star rated appliances, outfit their lamps with CFLs and be sure to get a power strip or two so they can power down the pile of electronic gadgets they’re sure to have. Not all dorm rooms come equipped with recycling bins, so be sure they’ve got those on hand too, making it as simple as possible while adding some excitement to the across the room refuse rim shot. Lastly, be sure to send your kids off with the healthiest of cleaning products by choosing those free of petrochemicals and phosphates, made with natural ingredients and essential oils rather than synthetic fragrances. By outfitting your college student with earth-friendly supplies on their first foray into life on their own, you just might set a precedent for the rest of their lives.

With the huge array of options available today, it’s easier than ever to green your back to school purchases. Some items will save you money over the course of the year, while others will simply help to save the planet. An investment well worth it for the future of those school kids you love so much.