The new school year is here, and that means that stocking up on back-to-school supplies and planning for the new school year is on the to-do-list. According to a British website 1.6 billion pens ended up in UK landfills in 2018 alone. That’s a lot of plastic! As we edge closer to the beginning of the new school year here are my top 10 tips to make this back-to-school time a healthier one for our kids and our planet.
1. DITCH THE TIN FOIL & CLING FILM
Bees Wax sandwich wraps are a great zero waste alternative to tin foil and cling film as they are natural, biodegradable, and reusable. Of course nothing beats a good quality, reusable lunch box if you are looking for a sustainable way to pack your kid’s lunches. For kids, try to find a lunch box that is plain, durable and easy to clean – so it can be used year after year. I love Yumbox’s leakproof Bento. Its easy to open-and-close latch makes it the perfect lunch box for kids. The 5-compartment tray is easy to pack and it’s rounded edges, high-quality silicon lid, and stainless-steel tray make it easy to keep clean. Available from Cloud&Co.
2. LEFT-OVER LUNCHES
I don’t mind packing a lunch box. It’s figuring out what to pack that I struggle with. So this year I will be taking the stress out of our mornings and I will be using last night’s left-over dinner for lunch. This not only helps reduce the amount of food waste in our landfills, but also the reduces the methane emissions they produce.
Home-made lunch box snacks are also a great alternative if you are looking for more environmentally conscious options. One of my favourite lunch box snacks to makes is a homemade guava fruit roll. Get the recipe here.
3. REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE
On average, 80% of plastic bottles end up going into landfills. A reusable stainless steel or bamboo bottle is a great alternative to plastic bottles. Buy a good quality one that will last the whole year, or perhaps even longer.
4. CREATE A HOME COMPOST HEAP OR BIN
A compost heap or bin makes a lot of ecological sense if you take into account that one third of household waste is organic. One simple way parents can help to reduce waste is to encourage their kids to bring home their packed lunch waste and pop it into the compost heap or bin. Not only is it great for your soil, but it will also reduce methane from landfills and lower your carbon emission.
5. PRELOVED UNIFORMS
Find out if your school has a second-hand clothes shop. Online marketplaces are also great places to find preloved uniforms. Buying preloved uniforms not only reduces textile waste, but can also save you money along the way.
6. TAKE STOCK – REUSE AND REPAIR
Often, we’re too quick to buy new stationary and school clothes. Before heading out to the stops – stop and take stock. Take some time to go through the stationary left over from the previous year and ask yourself whether some of it can be used again. The same goes for clothes. Many of us are quick to throw away clothes at the first sign of wear and tear. However, if you have access to a sewing machine or a trusty old needle and thread (or in my case you know someone who does) you can easily repair lost buttons, fallen hems and holes formed on those school uniforms.
7. BETTER STATIONERY
There are some great eco-friendly stationary out there. One of my favourites are plant-able pencils. Once you’ve reached the pencil stub, you can plant them to grow into vegetables and herbs whilst the rest of the pencil biodegrades. Msulwa Life stock a wonderful variety of these pencils. While you are on their website check out there other eco-friendly stationary. Also head over to ShopZero for pens made from recycled newspaper.
8. BUY USED TEXTBOOKS
Before buying or ordering brand new textbooks, reach out to other parents, online marketplaces and even the school. They might be selling, or even giving away, used textbooks.
9. OPT FOR RECYCLED PAPER NOTEBOOKS
Notebooks made from recycled paper are another great eco-friendlier options. Mass paper production requires deforestation and a huge amount of energy and water usage, causing air pollution. By buying recycled paper notebooks, you’re not only reducing the production of new paper, but also the pollution that goes with it.
10. STREET CARPOOLS
Arrange carpool lifts with families in your street or neighbourhood, even if it’s only once a day or even a few times a week. By reducing the number of vehicles on the road, you’ll be helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If you live near enough to the school why not take turns with other parents and walk the kids to school. It is great exercise for young and old and you will be improving overall air quality.
Best wishes for the new school year. May it be a happy and healthy one for our kids and the planet.
xxx
