Back-to-school shopping season is here and as much fun it sounds, the stress is real for many parents. It takes a mental toll on parents and also on their pockets. However, we often forget about another side effect – the impact on the environment. Every year about a million plastic bags are wasted for our kids’ lunch along with other wastage. Today we will talk about how we can replace most of the school supplies with a reusable alternative.
1. Backpacks or Messenger Bag
Unless it’s torn, this is a school supply that can stay with you for the longest time. The thing about buying a durable backpack is investing in the highest quality, the overall cost of buying cheap bags will be more than buying one good durable bag. You can also look for second-hand backpacks that are still under warranty.
2. Lunchbox
Ditch the plastic bags for lunch and use a stainless steel lunchbox. Why stainless steel? It’s light-weight and durable because it’s metal. You don’t have to worry about it breaking and once it has done its part, it is 100% recyclable.
3. Mechanical Pencil
Rather than buying traditional wood pencils, a mechanical pencil offers certain advantages. You do not need a sharpener, you don’t have to worry about losing its grip as it turns shorter. Also, you can use it forever if you take its care. Once it breaks, you can recycle the plastic.
4. Refillable Pens
We create a lot of plastic waste with these pens without a refill. A better alternative would be a fountain ink pen, you can refill it with ink without having to buy a new pen all over again. Not only is it less expensive but it also curbs plastic wastage.
5. Pencil Highlighters
Highlighters have the tendency to dry out and they don’t last long. Here are pencil highlighters to the rescue. You can use them almost forever, when you are done you can compost the stubs and also the paper they come in.
6. Steel Ruler
Let’s be honest, most of the plastic rulers last a couple of weeks. Buying a stainless steel ruler is smart and it lasts forever. Moreover, since it’s still you can recycle it.
7. Digital Textbooks and Second Hand Books
We buy a set of new books every year but what happens to the old books? We can always sell them to the bookstore and get used handbooks for the new year. Renting books is also another great option that curbs the cost.
Another great alternative is digital textbooks. Not only do they aid in reducing deforestation, but they also cost 30-50% less than their paperback versions. Kids can carry them anywhere without extra weight.
Conclusion
Here we conclude the list of reusable school supplies that do not make a hole in your pocket while saving the environment. There are many other supplies that are made from recycled goods like notebooks, journals etc. They are usually cheaper. A plethora of recycling programs is present where you can recycle your old binders, pens etc. You should check those out too. Happy back to school shopping.
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