Think before you buy… think local
The first step before heading out to the shops with a long list of school materials is to identify what we already have at home, what we could keep using, and what we actually need to buy. This means we can avoid duplicating items we may already have, or those to which we could give a second life. Stopping to reflect will allow us to take better decisions for our wallets… and also for the planet.
Sustainability is not only about buying environmentally friendly products; it is also about acquiring small habits that make a positive impact. So, for example, we can choose to go to our local stationery shop, the one that has always been there, and support the local economy.
In this way, we can turn our September operation into positive impact.
Sharpen your wits
After identifying what we have and what we don’t, it’s time to open the pencil cases, clean out the backpacks and clear out the folders. This activity, perfect for doing together as a family, is all about taking care of and giving a second life to what we already have. Sharpening colouring pencils, sorting out the crayons that are broken, checking whether highlighters are still working…not to mention the textbooks, which, with a bit of luck, can be found second-hand or passed down by a pupil from the year above. And then there are notebooks – they don’t need to be new; we can finish the ones we left half-finished last year. This is not only a good exercise in saving, but it also invites children to be more conscious, creative and involved in looking after their belongings.
Invest in sustainable products and reusable materials
After identifying our needs and going to our trusted stationery shop, the challenge is to choose materials that are reusable and environmentally friendly. To do this, we suggest leaving plastic off your list (all the more so if it is non-recycled plastic) and opting for materials such as cardboard, paper or wood.
For pencil-chewing children, it’s a good idea to buy pencils made from natural, non-toxic and biodegradable wood. When it comes to notebooks, we can invest in those that don’t have plastic covers. There are a myriad of more environmentally-friendly options, starting with those made from ecological or recycled paper with the FSC or PEFC certification, which ensure that the cellulose pulp used was sourced from sustainably managed forests. If we don’t want to give up on our favourite highlighters, we could use the recyclable ink cartridge system offered by some brands, so that we don’t have to constantly throw them away and buy new ones.
It’s important to consider not only what we carry, but where we carry it; a backpack made from recycled materials is the perfect way to complete our list of environmentally conscious purchases. There are many options, from those manufactured from recycled plastics to those made from cork. Finally, recycled cardboard folders are the perfect substitute for plastic ones.
Welcome to a more sustainable September.
