The time has finally come for some of us to return to school. Summer has come to an end, bringing back the stress and excitement of a new school or work year. There are a lot of things to take care of in preparation for this time and we want to help you by giving some tips on how to stay sustainable when considering back to school purchases.
Shopping for back to school is arguably the best part of a new school year. However, it is important to be considerate about those purchases and the impact they can have on the environment.
To start, when it comes to school supplies, make sure to reuse and recycle before making any new purchases. Often people have half used notebooks or folders and resources that are still usable for another year. Use them! Or at least donate them to someone who could use them.
For those looking to build a new wardrobe for the year, we understand that sustainable clothes can be more expensive. We urge you to consider looking into second hand shopping rather than heading straight for websites and shops that offer poorly curated clothes that are harmful to the environment. Also think about what you are purchasing in regards to fast fashion. Trends are cool and it's nice to lean into them, but think about whether this is an item you see yourself wearing multiple times with multiple outfits. Will you still like this an item a month from now? A year from now? Outfit repeating is cool, remember that.
There are plenty of sustainable options for the back and we highly encourage you to look into them.