A Primer on Plastic-Free, Wasteless School Supplies

With tens of millions of tons of plastic ending up in our oceans every minute, it's high time to school up on eco-friendly back-to-school supplies that reduce our dependence on disposable plastics.

We know you care and want to choose plastic-free options, but sometimes old habits at the big box retailer have become reflexive. Plastic pens, plastic binders and folders, plastic pencil sharpeners, plastic backpacks, plastic lunch containers, plastic scissors, plastic tape, etc... You get the idea!

What's an eco parent to do? Plastic permeates pretty much every single conventional school supply available on the mass market. This year, let us help you wisely re-think your back-to-school shopping list and choose plastic-free supplies.

Making thoughtful choices when it comes to products your family purchases for back to school is a great way to make a positive environmental difference as well as engage your whole family in the plastic pollution revolution.

FULL CIRCLE!

Sprout Pizza Pencils: Pencils that turn into pizza?! Well, sort of! Sprout has created a pencil you can plant. Use your Pizza Edition pencil, for example, until you’ve got a stub left. Then plant your pencil! Your stub will sprout basil, cherry tomato and oregano plants which will add super yummy flavor to your homemade pizzas.

RE-USE AGAIN! AND AGAIN! AND AGAIN!

Blue Water Bento by ECOlunchbox: These stainless steel lunch boxes have non-toxic silicone lids that are leak-proof and 100% plastic free. Did you know that silicone is a healthier choice for people and planet? Lunch by lunch you can make a big zero waste difference with these stainless steel containers!

ECO fact: 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic trash are floating in ocean gyres already. Waste-free lunch packing can prevent a family from creating thousands of pieces of trash.

GET TO GIVE BACK!

Stone and Cloth Backpack: Whether it’s a laptop and notebook for the café, or sweatshirts and snacks for a picnic, the extra vertical volume in the RollTop will fit your things nicely. This backpack is made in the USA by a mission-based company. Your purchase provides 25 hours of classroom learning for a student in Tanzania. Wow!

ECO fact: Every year about 140 million backpacks are purchased in the United States. When they get dirty or wear out, most people throw them away instead of washing (fill a big plastic tub with soapy water and soak overnight, slosh around, rinse and air dry) or repairing them.

EVERY STAPLE COUNTS

Staple Free Stapler: Every drop counts right? Well a handful of staples may not seem like much, but at the end of their life they get thrown in the trash too. This stapler without staples stitches pieces of paper together making it a super kid-friendly tool for school.

BICYCLE UPCYCLE

MoAb Bag Co's Bike Tube Bags: These all purpose bags make great pencil cases. But what makes them truly cool for school is that they are made from used bicycle tubes, giving new life to what could potentially be trash.

Eco fact: Schools generate a lot of waste. Look no further than the trash dumpster at your local school and scale up from there to imagine the waste generated by schools throughout the USA and world!

LONG LASTING!

The Seven Year Pen: This long-lasting pen boasts an extra-large inkwell allowing you to  write 1.7 meters a day for seven years. Made in Switzerland, it’s got a jumbo-size ink cartridge, a long-life tip and high quality parts. Plus they come in a ton of cute designs to suit anyone's style!

ECO fact: Did you know 100 million pens are discarded every day?

It takes creative thinking to learn to reduce dependence on plastics. Old products we've always used need to be replaced bit by bit with more sustainable alternatives.

If you're motivated to help your school community radically shift to minimalist, plastic-free buying for back-to-school supplies, coop your time and money to purchase your supplies in bulk or contact Wisdom Supply Company in San Francisco to set up a custom plastic-free BTS supply kits! With some strategic eco thinking, back to school waste can be reduced dramatically!