Start the School Year with Less Waste
Back-to-school season is a fresh start for students, families, and classrooms—and it is also a great time to build simple habits that reduce waste all year long. From lunch supplies to notebooks, small choices can help save money, conserve resources, and keep unnecessary trash out of landfills.
Before heading to the store, take a quick inventory of what you already have at home. Many folders, binders, backpacks, pencil boxes, crayons, and scissors can be reused with a little cleaning or repair. If you do need to shop, look for durable supplies, refillable items, and products made with recycled content whenever possible.
Lunch is another easy place to cut down on daily waste. A reusable lunch box, water bottle, utensils, and food containers can replace disposable bags, plastic wrap, and single-use drink bottles. Buying snacks in larger packages and portioning them into reusable containers can also reduce packaging waste while helping stretch the grocery budget.
Families can also encourage students to recycle right at school and at home. Clean paper, cardboard, bottles, and cans belong in the recycling bin when accepted by your local program. Paper that has only been used on one side can become scratch paper before it is recycled, giving it one more useful life.
This school year, challenge your family to choose one low-waste habit and stick with it. Whether it is reusing supplies, packing a waste-free lunch, or recycling more carefully, every small action adds up to a cleaner, healthier community.
Before heading to the store, take a quick inventory of what you already have at home. Many folders, binders, backpacks, pencil boxes, crayons, and scissors can be reused with a little cleaning or repair. If you do need to shop, look for durable supplies, refillable items, and products made with recycled content whenever possible.
Lunch is another easy place to cut down on daily waste. A reusable lunch box, water bottle, utensils, and food containers can replace disposable bags, plastic wrap, and single-use drink bottles. Buying snacks in larger packages and portioning them into reusable containers can also reduce packaging waste while helping stretch the grocery budget.
Families can also encourage students to recycle right at school and at home. Clean paper, cardboard, bottles, and cans belong in the recycling bin when accepted by your local program. Paper that has only been used on one side can become scratch paper before it is recycled, giving it one more useful life.
This school year, challenge your family to choose one low-waste habit and stick with it. Whether it is reusing supplies, packing a waste-free lunch, or recycling more carefully, every small action adds up to a cleaner, healthier community.
