With summer winding down, we are getting in the “back to work/school” mode. Children in the home or not, this is a time we nest a bit and consider replenishing office supplies. This post will provide ideas to make your shopping just a little easier and greener.
Consolidate Supplies
Office supplies are a category where many households tend to over-purchase because the supplies are spread out in many different parts of the house. If your office supplies aren’t in one spot, I recommend this as a great first step. With all your supplies in one place, you can better understand what you need. Defining a home base for your office supplies will let you track the inventory over time. And, as a bonus, you may be better able to find a new pen when you need it!
Products & Brands to Consider
Paper: There are a lot of recycled paper options out there to consider. Some look just like regular paper, while others have the recycled content more visible. I really like the personality of those that show the fibers. Check out the labels to understand the % recycled content.
Notebooks and Planners: When looking for notebooks and planners, eco-friendly options are growing rapidly. With spiral bound notebooks, after they are used, the metal spiral and paper can be recycled if they are separated. As you start to look for notebooks and planners, three to consider include EcoJot, Paperage, and Greenfield Paper. Another company to consider is Roaring Spring Paper Products . Their website has notebook and folder products for school like the three and five-subject notebooks that many older children use for school. While you can’t purchase on the site, you can search for the products you want and then look for them at your favorite retailer.
Binders and Folders: The most prevalent issue with binders is their plastic cover. When looking for alternatives, search the term “naked binders” for some plastic-free options.
Pencils: There are two challenges with pencils, wood, and lead. Over the last 20 years, many alternatives have been introduced. Graphite is now used instead of lead, and innovative solutions like recycled newspaper are being used to replace wood. There are lots of brands and choices on the market. Here are three to get you started: Sprout Pencils, Treesmart Recycled Newspaper, and Ecotree Recycled Rainbow Paper (purchase on Amazon).
Pens: According to Earth911, Americans throw away 1.6 billion disposable pens every year These pens end up in landfills and are often made of harmful plastics. Here are a few brands that can be purchased on Amazon to consider: Agile Eco-Friendly Pens, Conscience Concepts Cork & Recycled Wheat Straw, and Bamboo Retractable Pens.
Highlighters: There are also interesting alternatives to highlighters, like moving from the traditional marker to a highlighting pencil. They come in a variety of colors and are suggested to be a better option for left-handers because they don’t smear like a traditional highlighter. Two brands to consider from retailers like Amazon include Eco Highlighter Pencils and Stubby Pencil Studios.
Markers: Markers are a different challenge. This category is difficult to find eco-friendly alternatives. Searches don’t produce alternatives to the plastic casing. The best are those with recycled plastic and water-based ink. The Office Depot brand (sold at other stores) has a low-odor marker made with recycled materials for whiteboard markers.
Staplers – For anyone who doesn’t staple more than 6-8 sheets of paper together, consider a “stapleless stapler.” If you search online, you will see many sizes and options available. While the staplers are made of plastic, they make recycling easier as there is no need to remove the staple.
Scissors – When buying new scissors, look for handles made of recycled plastic. While there aren’t more eco-friendly options that I could find, at least we aren’t adding new plastic to the mix.
Paperclips – Acco offers a paperclip made from 100% recycled steel wire. One thing to avoid in this category is the paper clips that are covered with rubbery plastic. The decorative colors might look good, but they can’t be recycled. These can be found at Office Depot and other retailers.
Crayons – The biggest challenge with crayons is that they are made with paraffin wax which is petroleum based. This makes recycling them a challenge. When shopping for crayons, avoid those with paraffin and look for alternatives like beeswax and soy. A couple of brands to get you started are Prang (soy-based) and Honeysticks (beeswax).
Glue – This is a tougher category, and there aren’t a lot of alternatives available. The main challenges with glue are that it is made with a petroleum-based ingredient, and the packaging is plastic for liquid glue and glue sticks. Three brands to consider are Elmer’s Earth Friendly glue, Coccoina, and plant-based Onyx Green. All can be found on Amazon.
Backpacks – This is a very fun category to find something both eco-friendly and stylish. By searching “upcycled backpacks,” you will find backpacks made of all kinds of materials, from old billboards to truck tarps, seatbelts, and more. With the variety available, you can find a design with a perfect, unique style. Start with general searches or a website like Etsy.
Lunch Boxes – The key when it comes to lunches is to look for containers that will be used all year long. This includes the lunch box itself as well as the containers inside that hold all the food. Replacing the paper bags and Ziploc bags is the goal. More on this topic was covered here.
Summary
The eco-friendly options for our school and home office supplies continue to grow. The best way to make a difference is to consume less. However, when that isn’t possible, selecting a greener option and ensuring we know the ease of recycling is key. As the weather turns cooler and we turn indoors, this is the perfect time to audit and update our supplies.