We have shared all kinds of creative back to school resources for parents, teachers, and kids. As with everything we share, we have tried to support a green living focus. But, we wanted to pull together all the best eco-friendly back to school tips for parents and teachers.
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Getting ready to head back to class means making a whole pile of purchases - from school supplies to clothing and shoes. And, it's important to keep the environment in mind when we make any purchases, especially ones that involve our kids. So, how can we have a more eco-friendly return to school?
The Best Eco-Friendly Back to School Tips
Take Inventory
The first of the 3Rs is "reduce". The easiest way to reduce this is to not over-shop for the return to school. Start by taking inventory of what you need, what you have, and what you actually need to shop for. Begin by gathering up the school supplies - can you reuse last year's binders and folder? Do you still have full sets of pencil crayons? Do the kids' shoes still fit? What about the backpacks? And, lunchboxes? Look over everything you have and decide if you can use them or do they need to be replaced. Make a list of the things that need to be replaced.
Donate
Now that you've gathered everything you already have, it's time to donate what you don't need anymore. If your kids have outgrown their shoes, backpacks, and clothes consider passing them onto another child or dropping them at your local second-hand store. Even those well used, school supplies can come in handy for someone else.
Purchase Second Hand
Once you drop it off at the second-hand shop, consider picking it up there too. Vintage clothing is all the rage right now, and it is a trend that is here to stay. Start your back to school shopping at the thrift store!
Shop Eco-Friendly School Supplies
There are actually plenty of eco-friendly school supply options available. I've pulled together a few of our favorite options.
Recycled Paper
Environotes by Roaring Springs offers a line of paper notebooks that are made from recycled paper made from 30% sugarcane and 70% post-consumer waste. They have a wide range of notebook options available.
If your kid will be doing a whole lot of printing this school year then it is a good idea to have a supply of PrintWorks recycled printer paper on hand.
Eco-Friendly Writing Supplies
Crayola met their commitment to use 100% renewable energy to run their manufacturing plants and they have found ways to divert plastic from landfills and make pencil crayons from reforested wood. I feel comfortable using their products, from an eco-friendly perspective and their quality means their products last for years. However, I really only stick to the basics - crayons, markers, and pencil crayons. I don't see the need for their "twistable", scented, or other more gimmicky products...but, that's just me trying to reduce.
Recycled Mechanical Pencils
My kids love using mechanical pencils, but they are made from plastic...not great. What if they were made from recycled plastic? Bic's Ecolutions mechanical pencils are made from 81% recycled plastic and the packaging is made from 100% recycled product. Using a mechanical pencil also means that the pencil case can be reused and only the pencil lead needs to be replaced, not the entire pencil.
Recycled Binders
Samsill Earth's Choice 3-ring binders are made from at least 59% biobased material, including a polypropylene cover made with up to 25% plant-based renewable plastic and 100% recycled fiberboards. They are durable and available in fun colors too.
Recycled Notebooks
These are one of my favorite notebook options. Kaisa makes ruled notebooks made from 100% recycled fibers.
Eco-Friendly Lunch Bag
Okay, we are reusable lunch bag people. I bought this exact Built lunch bag for my daughter and it lasted her years - 6+ years. We washed and rewashed and stuffed it full of her lunch every day. I love these bags because they are made from neoprene - they stretch and are pretty much waterproof. So, spills inside the bag stay inside and I could stuff them with whatever I wanted. I always recommend these Built lunch bags.
Use a Thermos
What goes inside your fave lunch bag? A great thermos, of course. We've shared all kinds of delicious recipes to fill your kid's thermos and this is our absolute favorite thermos - a 10-ounce, twist top Thermos. Great for keeping food hot or cold. Easy to open and easy to clean. A great way to reduce food waste is to make the food your kids love to eat! So, don't be afraid to pack the mac and cheese.
Reusable Lunch Containers
Aside from the thermos, you will also need some snack containers. Look for small, easy-to-clean containers. Personally, I like to use a few smaller containers, rather than a large container with multiple compartments. This way I can be sure everything is totally leakproof and won't cross-contaminate (and my kid won't eat the crackers if they get any dip on them). And, don't forget reusable cutlery. I just use a set of teaspoons and dessert forks - you can pick a set up second-hand or new.
Think About How You Get to School
We all know the contribution driving is making to global warming...it's not good. When possible consider walking to school (I share a great post filled with tips for walking your kids to school), riding bikes, carpooling, or taking public transit. Choosing an eco-friendly alternative even one day a week can have a huge impact. And, if you have to drive please don't idle in the pick-up line. Turning off your engine won't harm your car and is far better for the environment than sitting idling for 5 minutes...really.
Well, what do you think? Did we leave something off our list? I know that folks are always inovating and thinking of amazing ways to live more eco-friendly. So, please let me know in the comments if you have a tip to share! In the meantime, I hope your child's return to school is amazing and eco-friendly!
Check out all of our back to school resources for kids, parents, and teachers.
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