Now that summer is waning, and the days are shortening, many kids (and their parents) are getting ready to go back to school. With the autumnal rite of passage comes myriad back-to-school sales and retail overload as stocks of pencils, pens, and paper are depleted in anticipation of a year full of learning. So, how do you combine school’s three R’s — that’s readin’, writin’ and ‘rithmetic — with the planet’s three R’s of reduce, reuse, and recycle? Here’s how to follow up your green summer, full of green barbeques and fun, with a green school year.
Though it happens every year, we still seem programmed to equate going back to school with buying tons of new stuff; indeed, the average family with school-aged children will spend 500 euro on back-to-school purchases this year. And, while schooling requires supplies, we too often turn to disposable supplies to do the job – six billion pens are thrown away in the U.S. every year, for example. Plus, going back to school offers a clean slate for a fresh start that can inspire New Year’s-like resolutions, like, “This’ll be the year I bike to school each day,” or, “I promise to consistently pack my own Snacks instead of buying from the cafeteria.” While noble, these new resolutions often also require more stuff (like a new bike, to use one of the above examples), so be sure you aren’t overstating your goals and biting off more than you can chew.
Preparation is important, but so is following your green prep with green behavior, extending your good green start to behaviors that last all year. For example, every ton of paper — or 220,000 sheets– that is recycled saves approximately 17 trees. For scale, the average school tosses 38 tons of paper — the equivalent of 644 trees — each year, so purchasing post-consumer recycled paper, and making sure that it gets recycled again, can make a big difference.
It’s a challenge to properly outfit ourselves and our kids with supplies for another year of learning without bankrupting and polluting our planet’s resources in the process. Read on to learn more about how to go green when going back to school.
Back to school is the perfect time not only for digging out that alarm clock, but also for adopting some greener habits you and your whole family can practice all year long. Below are eight tips worthy of a gold—or green—star.
Search for pencils made from recycled materials. Or, save money and waste and resharpen last year’s pencils. They’ll be good as new!
1. Don’t Overbuy
It might be exciting to enter the back-to-school section of your local retailer—so many shiny things and bright colors! But don’t be tempted to buy more than you need. First, check what you already have in stock.
Did your child really use all 500 sheets of paper you bought last year? Is every single pencil worn down to the nub? Did the scissors spontaneously break? Only buy what you really need for the year and the amount of “stuff” you don’t bring home will be astonishing.
2. Purchase Recycled
It’s unavoidable: You will have to buy some things for the upcoming school year. But instead of a regular backpack, how about one from TerraCycle made out of juice drink pouches? Or recycled pencils made from old denim or newsprint? Just be sure to check your recycled school supplies for durability and minimal packaging.
3. Opt for Used
Nothing signals the back-to-school season more than a mountain of shiny new books, right? Not necessarily. If you’re looking to reduce your waste—and the total at the bottom of your receipts—seriously consider buying used, opting for online or renting.
Used textbooks are often available for half off or more in campus bookstores, and Web sites such as eCampus and Amazon carry a broad selection of used titles. Some schools are even experimenting with online textbooks, reducing both your costs and strain on your backpack.
Renting books is a growing option that helps to reduce the amount of books being created. In fact, according to the Environmental Paper Network, if the U.S. reduced its paper consumption by 10 percent annually, we could save enough energy to power 228,000 homes, the carbon emissions equivalent to removing 279,000 cars from the road and 11 billion gallons of water.
4. Swap and Sell
Somehow in the last year those shorts got way too short. Every school year demands a new wardrobe, but this doesn’t automatically have to mean a shopping spree at the mall. Organize a clothing swap among your friends; you can pass on those tiny shorts to another grateful parent and your child could end up with a Hannah Montana hoodie or a Gormiti T-shirt.
Even if your school requires uniforms, everyone will be just as happy to trade in their old for “new.” Same goes for flea markets, consignment shops and thrift stores. Someone’s old skinny jeans could become your daughter’s new favorite fashion statement. (Check out Baby Bazar kids’ consignment with locations in Florence and Lucca! www.babybazar.it/)
5. The Wheels on the Bus…
Do you drive your children to school every day? Do you carpool? Or do they walk, ride their bikes or take the bus? To help reduce air pollution, investigate whether you live on or close to the school bus route. Even if your child stays late for music lessons or soccer club, most schools extend the bus schedule to accommodate. If the bus isn’t an option, set up a carpool with your neighbors or arrange a “walkpool,” chaperoning a group on foot to and from school. You’ll save on gas, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, get some exercise and maybe make some new friends in the process.
6. Snack time!
“Snack” is everyone’s favorite subject. But if your child is taking a brown paper bag filled with baggies or pre-packaged snacks to school every day, that adds up to a lot of trash. Invest in a Snacksbox, free of lead and, if they don’t already come with it, reusable plastic containers, cloth napkins and a thermos.
Just by eliminating all that daily wasted plastic and paper, your child could save 35 kg of garbage a year. And don’t forget to lead by example and start toting your own Snacksbox to work (kitschy ‘70s cartoon characters optional).
7. Do Your Part
Even if you’ve forgotten how to do long division, you can still teach your kids to recycle when you’re not around. Inquire if your school has a recycling program, and if the answer is yes, explain to your children how to use it.
If not, ask if there are any plans to implement a recycling program and if you could volunteer your time to help make it happen. Organizing a compost heap in conjunction with the cafeteria or setting up paper, plastic cardboard and aluminum recycling through the school’s waste hauler are good places to start.
8. Monitor Electronics
Computers, graphing calculators, printers—it seems like a lot of school supplies nowadays plug in or run on batteries. Even if your child has mastered turning the lights out when they leave a room, there are two more ways to conserve energy even when their gadgets are off. Purchase rechargeable batteries instead of new, and invest in a Smart Power Strip. At 30 to 40 euro, it’s a bit pricier than a typical power strip, but it’s completely worth it. This strip stops drawing electricity from appliances that are turned off, meaning you don’t have to remember to switch the strip on and off every time. Sounds like something that could be useful all over the house, doesn’t it?
There are few things more exciting and satisfying than shopping for new school supplies. The anticipation of achievement, of learning, of having new teachers and reconnecting with classmates runs high. Some children even look forward to the end-of-summer doldrums. In 2003, Americans spent an estimated 12.5 billion Euro on back-to-school items, meaning the sector is no small industry. But behind all the chaos and bright colors in the back-to-school aisles are the equivalent of eco-landmines. Reams upon reams of paper, largely made from virgin fibers, result in rampant deforestation. (Americans toss so much paper that a year’s worth would stretch from Los Angeles to New York, standing 12 feet tall.) Those new-product smells that kids often love are largely off-gassing of volatile organic compounds from plastics and adhesives, and the metal and plastic components are made of non-renewable resources that are damaging and dirty to extract. But you don’t have to force your kid to go to school with a 19th-century slate and burlap sack. Today’s new green school supplies are high on style and usability, as well as increasingly affordable.
Paper products: Paper takes up a huge amount of landfill space and requires enormous amounts of water and chemicals, not to mention living trees, to produce. These days, a wide range of recycled (and chlorine-free) paper and notebooks is becoming increasingly available, as well as price competitive. Check out Mead‘s line of recycled paper notebooks, and recycled filler paper at Staples, Office Depot and elsewhere. The Rescued Paper Note Books from Britain-based Sukie are ultra-hip and cute, and are made from discarded paper that is folded to expose its white backsides. Ecojot offers a catalog full of beautiful and kid-friendly notebooks that are made from 100% postconsumer waste and vegetable-based dyes. The paper mill is even run on alternative power (biogas). Also try to avoid binders and other supplies made with vinyl, because PVC — polyvinyl chloride — is extremely toxic to make, resulting in release of potent dioxins.
Writing utensils: Kids love to climb and sit under trees, so the idea of using pencils that are tree-free often resonates with them. Check out Paper Mate’s EarthWrite pencils, which are made from recycled newspaper and cardboard. You can also equip their little hands with biodegradable pens that are made from cornstarch or recycled paper, instead of petroleum plastics.
Other supplies: All those incidental supplies can also really add up, in terms of price and resource use. Many are now available with recycled content (including scissors, paper clips and sticky notes). Also, don’t forget to search your drawers at home for extras that might be already lying around.
Backpacks: Instead of oil-based nylon and plastics, give your kid a cool, original backpack made of recycled rubber or natural fibers like hemp. Don’t forget to send your child off with an organic apple for teacher!
Thanks to Planet Green.com, earth911.com and thedailygreen.com
