More green supplies for your child or children.
Like every year, the “Back to School” is synonymous with major upheavals in the departments in all supermarkets.
This upheaval has a purpose: to make you consume a maximum and if possible a maximum of things that are not fundamental.
Here is a brief overview of reasonable alternatives accessible to all that will allow you to save: the best savings being the reuse of equipment already purchased ...
General advice before going to the store
As we have just said: econologically, there is nothing better than an object that can be reused instead of buying a new one!
So check if, among the supplies from the past year, which ones are still reusable and this in particular for "large supplies" of style: schoolbag, ruler / square kit, etc.
Ask yourself the question if your child really "needs" the latest Harry Plotter school bag or the latest neon glue gadget stick model (certainly very practical but can cost 5 times more expensive, in relation to the capacity, than other glues)?
Choosing durable materials and materials
The turbulence of the children means that, very often, the materials, even not "usable", rarely last more than a school year (we have all been there), here are some tips to buy better and more solid:
- choose durable materials. For example: a ruler or a metal or wooden square, if they are obviously more expensive to buy, will last for many years, unlike those made of plastic, and in the end this judicious purchase will cost you less! The example of the leather satchel (which has become so rare) in comparison with the fabric / plastic satchel is also a good example of a sustainable choice… but obviously in terms of design and ergonomics, progress is still to be made in leather. To have (my back and my morale) "suffered" during my first years of schooling, I know the subject well ...
- for wooden objects, try to choose those with labels (Ökotest, FSC ...)
- try to choose rechargeable equipment whenever possible.
- buy recycled non-chlorinated paper especially for rough draft. But the best is to make a small basket at home for all the recycled household paper, in fact: more than 95% of the paper (letter, mail, printer waste) that you use is usually only printed one minute. face! 50% of their surface potential has therefore not been used! A common basket judiciously placed in the house for drafts will therefore do very well.
- finally, but it has become obvious, avoid unnecessary packaging ...
Case by case: write, classify, paste and specific products
Ballpoint pens, pen and pencils: use rechargeable batteries and ask your child (or yourself) to use until the end! A pencil, it is sharp in theory ... and how many have we come to a pencil less than 2 cm long? Try to use pens in noble materials: wood, recycled cardboard or possibly recycled plastics (the anti-disposable in short) ...
Paper: choose unbleached recycled paper, see note above for paper.
Scotch: try using a model with a wooden unwinder and cellulose or rubber adhesive.
Post-it: to ban!
Glue: if essential, take a model with an environmental label.
Tip-pex, "white" corrector and erasers: to ban. Not only are these products quite toxic, but in addition, psychologically, it will teach your child to quickly make fewer mistakes. It is rare the cases where we can use a corrector in the actions of our professional life. Our parents were not equipped with such correctors and they did very well (I would say better given the state of national education now).
Calculator : a device with dual power, solar and battery is ideal.
Conclusion: buy better and consume less.
Without promoting "too green" materials, which not only risk tripling your bill, but in addition, will not necessarily significantly reduce the impact of your Back to School on the environment, this article was intended to help you. do a few simple steps to buy better and ultimately consume less!
We can never repeat it enough: there are many gestures and facts to relearn the way of life of our parents and great parents… in this case when they used up the school benches!