Eco-Friendly School Supply Options For This Year's Back-To-School Shopping Trip
Every August, in every single city and town around America, parents head out to the local big box stores to stock up on the year's necessary school supplies for their kids. While many parents don't think about it, this is actually a great time for helping out the environment by choosing eco-friendly and sustainable options.
When you head out this year to buy all of the items on your kids' supply lists, consider buying each of these earth-friendly options:
Pencils Made of Sustainable or Recycled Materials
Rather than choosing pencils that are made of virgin wood or cheap plastic, instead, consider buying pencils made of:
- recycled post-consumer plastic
- recycled cardboard
- recycled newspaper
In addition, look for pencils that offer latex-free erasers to avoid any issues with latex allergies.
Pencil Cases Made of Recycled or Sustainable Materials
To keep their pencils and pens from making a mess inside of their backpacks, your kids need an age-appropriate pencil case. Rather than opting for the cheap plastic option from the dollar store, opt for pencil cases made of sustainable hemp, jute, or post-consumer recycled materials.
Earth-Friendly Lunch Bags or Lunch Boxes
Since school lunches are seriously lacking in taste and healthfulness, your kids need to be able to easily bring their lunch to school and keep it fresh and cool until lunchtime.
To keep their lunches cool and fresh, each child should have an insulated lunchbox with a reusable ice pack. This will go along way towards preventing soggy sandwiches and warm drinks that turn kids off from eating their meals.
The best options for earth-friendly lunchboxes include those that are toxic-free and biodegradable when they are no longer in use. The most popular options are those made of either stainless steel or waxed canvas.
When shopping for an eco-friendly lunch container, don't forget about all the various things that go inside of it. Sandwiches need a sturdy container to keep them from being smashed by the ice pack and drinks. Bulk-purchased items such as potato chips and cookies need sustainable pouches they can be put into. And, your kids need a thermos for hot soups in the winter and ice cold drinks in the warmer months.
Eco-Friendly Backpacks
Lastly, every student needs a backpack to hold all of their books and supplies. Whether your son in college wants an eco-friendly black backpack or your toddler wants a vegan backpack that looks like their favorite cartoon character, there is an earth-friendly option out there for everyone's taste.