As we head back to school for the year, excitement is high. Yes, summer is over, but there’s a lot of learning and memories to be made going forward.
Whether it’s math class, lunch, or an extracurricular activity, sustainability comes into play with each item you choose to purchase. Let’s take a look at the five most practical and sustainable school supplies items that all ages can use for this upcoming school year, and all to follow.
Reusable Water Bottle
Starting off our list of the best sustainable school supplies comes a high-quality reusable water bottle. Staying hydrated and drinking water throughout the day is important for health and focus. By having a water bottle that can be carried around and refilled at any time, you not only reduce waste from single-use items but also enable more water consumption. Make sure you get a sturdy one that won’t break from the abuse it may go through tossed into a schoolbag.
Sustainable Backpack
When you do toss your bottle into a bag, make sure that it’s a sustainable one. You don’t only want the bag to be durable so it will last, but also ethical and made from plastic-free materials that don’t harm the planet. Choosing bags where the materials are responsibly sourced materials, like recycled rubber and certified organic cotton, will look good and feel even better.
Plastic-Free and Recycled Pens and Pencils
From class notes to secret messages with your friends, school means a lot of writing. Certain types of writing will require pencils while others require pens, yet every writing utensil can and should be made sustainably. By choosing pens and pencils made from plastic-free or recycled materials, you can write as much as you want without harming the Earth.
Recycled Paper Notebook
You can have an infinite supply of pens and pencils, but if you don’t have any paper, they won’t do you much good. By choosing a notebook made with recycled paper, you can ensure forests are not being harmed for you to learn a new subject. Additionally, make sure that if your notebook is lined, it uses recycled and responsible ink.
Wooden Rulers
Rounding off our list of practical and sustainable school supplies comes wooden rulers. Measuring is a standard task in math and science classes, and it’s always handy to have your own ruler on you. Yet the traditional material is often plastic, something we generally want to avoid due to the massive environmental harm it causes. Choose a sturdy wooden alternative and measure with style!
Key Takeaways for Sustainable School Products
- Sustainable options exist across each subject, product, and need.
- The best option is to use what you have already, and get sturdy products that will last long-term.
- Whether it’s your first year of school or your last, there are greener choices each of us can make.
