Your Guide to a Sustainable Back to School Season

A young boy looks at books, pencils, and other school supplies

Back to school means back to countless routines we’ve mastered over the years; it’s also the ideal tie to embrace new traditions, especially as they relate to sustainability. Though it can be tempting to buy a host of new supplies for the new school year, there are more environmentally (and wallet) friendly ways to get everything on your list.

Thrift clothes and supplies

A woman browses racks of clothing at a thrift store.

A woman browses racks of clothing at a thrift store.

Whether your kids need to size up, or you want new pieces for a new season, thrifting your back-to-school wardrobe is a great way to save money, discover new styles, and lessen your environmental footprint. Thrifting is one of the best ways ro extend the useful life of clothing, which, in most cases, requires a significant amount of energy and water to produce. Gently used clothes and other supplies, such as backpacks, pencil cases, and lunchboxes are usually available at thrift shops for a fraction of the price you would find at other stores.

Purchasing second-hand also prevents the clothing from winding up in a landfill where it would slowly decompose, releasing unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions that threaten the quality of our air, but leach potentially dangerous chemicals into our water supply that threaten the health of people, animals, and plant life.

Choose items with minimal or recyclable packaging

A selection of school supplies made with recyclable packing.

A selection of school supplies made with recyclable packing.

If there are items you must buy new, look out for products that contain minimal packaging or packing made from recyclable or compostable materials. There are also an increasing number of school supplies on the market made from sustainable materials, including pens that have tubes made from cardboard, wheat grass, and newspaper, instead of plastic.

Plastic is especially harmful to the environment because, over the course of hundreds of years, it decomposes into microplastics (fragments with a diameter of 5 mm or less), which make their way into our oceans. When ingested by fish and other marine life, microplastics can block their digestive tract of fish or pierce an organ. As we know, the decline of one species of animal has a ripple effect on the entire ecosystem.

Another great way to protect the health of the environment is to opt for pens that contain non-toxic and soy-based inks. It’s also advisable to choose refillable pens to reduce waste.

Silicone food containers are also a good alternative to single-use plastic bags. They’re durable and can easily be washed and re-used at the end of the day. They can also be used to store dry or wet food and will seal in the freshness of your items.


Two students drink from re-usable water bottles at recess.

Two students drink from re-usable water bottles at recess.

 

Avoid single-use products

While seemingly more convenient, single-use items, such as plastic water bottles, and packaging made from unsustainable materials (Ziploc bags, saran wrap, plastic cutlery) are harsh on the environment because they cannot be recyclable or easily re-used. Opt for metal or aluminum water bottles to tote with you to class (an added benefit is that they keep your cool drinks cool, and your warm drinks warm). Instead of wrapping loose items in plastic wrap, try wrapping made from beeswax – it adheres well to food, creates an air- and water-tight seal, and is breathable (so it keeps food fresh).

You can easily wash and re-use beeswax wrap for up to one year. Even when you through it away, it will decompose into its base elements –  beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin – none of which are harmful to the environment (unlike microplastics).

With a few small tweaks to the routines we know and love, we can develop a back-to-school regime that respects the environment, while, in many cases, saving us money and supporting manufacturers and suppliers who are researching and implementing new and innovative ways to create sustainable alternatives to the items we use daily. Have a wonderful back to school season!