Hey earth muffins! Moving into college is an exciting milestone, but (without thought) it can create a lot of extra waste just like any other move. Never fear – there are plenty of conscious choices you can make that align with your values to reduce your environmental impact! In this blog post, we’ll explore how to move into college the eco-friendly way to reduce your impact from day one. Let’s jump right into it!
1. Use plastic free packing materials!
When packing your belongings, opt for eco-friendly packing materials. Use suitcases, bags, and boxes you already have to minimize waste. If you need extra padding for those breakable items, use clothing or towels instead of bubble wrap or Styrofoam. This is a great alternative because you have to pack those soft items anyway! For all the non-eco packing materials you end up using, make sure to repurpose them or recycle them on campus.
Hey earth muffins! Fall is almost here! The weather has slowly been getting colder, and I have definitely been enjoying the cooler autumn vibes. The school year has officially begun, so I wanted to share some tips with you all today for packing a zero waste lunch. π These tips apply to your children headed off to school, but they also work for those of us who go to the office for work. As I mentioned in my September newsletter, I recently accepted a new job. At the end of September I will be going back to in-person work – so excited to leave remote work behind! Let’s jump right into some zero waste lunch tips.
~Invest in a nice lunch box or buy one second hand.
If you plan on packing lunches for yourself and/or your kids, you will need a good lunch box. Before checking out any new options, I suggest shopping at second hand stores in your area. You might even be able to borrow from family or friends – or score a nice deal on Facebook Marketplace! Once you have exhausted used alternatives, find a lunch box that is 1) big enough to fit a full lunch and 2) made of high-quality materials that will last a long time. A lot of the “back to school” lunch boxes sold during the fall season aren’t always the best for long-lasting wear… Especially for work, think about possibly purchasing a stainless steel lunch container that will last a lifetime!
~Use reusable bags and containers!
Once you have a nice box, pack your zero waste lunch in reusables too. Instead of Ziploc bags, try out some reusable ones. Stasher bags are all the rage right now, but there are plenty of other products on the market too. I saw some great eco-friendly bags at Target recently! For larger items, use metal or glass containers. While many people use plastic Tupperware for lunches, I always try to avoid plastic touching my food. But, any reusable container will do – use whatever you already have in the house. Make sure your kids bring them home at the end of the day so that they can be washed and used again!
~Buy snacks from the bulk bins instead of individually packaged.
Grocery stores are full of individually packaged snacks… Which seem perfect for lunches. However, these are extremely wasteful in terms of plastic packaging. You often don’t get a lot in each bag, and the cost to buy individually packaged items is more expensive than buying a larger pack and separating the food yourself. A great zero waste lunch tip is to buy food from the bulk bins! Many bulk food stores have numerous snack options. Pack them in reusable bags and your lunch is ready to go!
~Pack leftovers for lunch!
Don’t feel like you have to pack a new meal for lunches. A great way to prevent food waste is to bring your dinner leftovers from the night before to eat at lunch the next day! This allows you to save that food from going to waste in your fridge, and it is often much easier to pack than a bunch of snack bags. π
~Try adding less meat options in your zero waste lunch.
We all know that plant-based diets are much better for the environment… So challenge yourself to pick a day (or a few days!) of the week to go meatless. One of my go-to lunches is a nice peanut butter and jelly sandwich – totally perfect for a Meatless Monday lunch! Every small change has an impact; avoiding meats in your lunch even just one day of the week helps.
~Bring lunch leftovers back home from school.
Instead of having your kids dump what they don’t eat, just ask them to reseal their reusable containers and bring them home. Then, compost that food waste! Ta-da, you just saved a bunch of waste from heading to the landfill. It is also a good idea to evaluate what your kids doesn’t eat. If there is a bit of everything left, you might be packing too much. When only a few items are left behind, they might not enjoy those foods as much. All good insights for keeping food waste at a minimum!
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Final Thoughts on How to Pack a Zero Waste Lunch
One of the easiest things you can do to reduce your impact during the school year is to just pack a lunch each day. Not only does this help you monitor what your kid is eating, it also allows you to shop in bulk, use reusables, and curb food waste in the cafeteria. The same goes for packing your own lunch for work; such a great way to stay eco-friendly during the year! π Do you pack a lunch for yourself and/or your children?? Comment below your favorite lunch snacks!
Instead of heading right to Target or Walmart to stock up on school supplies, try searching through secondhand options first. The best place to start is to look at the items you already have in your house. I definitely would always end up with extra pencils, paper, and notebooks at the end of each school year. This is the perfect opportunity to use up what you already have! Many thrift stores around this time of year also have tons of school things to purchase – and you might even save yourself some money too! Along with secondhand stores, check out your local Buy Nothing page on Facebook or even Facebook Marketplace to see if anyone is getting rid of the supplies you are looking for. You can even ask family or friends in your area to see if they have something you need.
~Opt for e-textbooks instead of buying them π
Back in college, I made the mistake of buying a few of my textbooks. Now that I am out of school, I definitely have never looked at them again…. So I would recommend either renting your books or getting an e-book version. While renting isn’t the best choice due to shipping back and forth from the rental company, it is great that the books are able to be reused each semester. Plus, some teachers/professors are strict about having a physical copy of the book during the school year. However, if you are able, an e-textbook is a great sustainable option! Many e-books have options to virtually highlight and add notes as well, which is a great way to help you study throughout the year.
~Buy yourself a refillable pen!
Along with pencils, pens get wasted a lot during the school year. In order to truly zero waste your school supplies, you need to choose options that are better for the environment. In terms of pencils, pass on plastic mechanical ones and use traditional wood pencils instead. These create a lot less waste, and you can even buy pencils that can be composted or planted once used up! For pens, I suggest investing in one with refillable ink. Not only are these super great for the environment (just think about all the plastic you won’t have to use anymore!), they also are cool and fun to use. Amazon has a good selection of refillable ink pens starting as low as $10, so I recommend checking them out (affiliate link)!
~Read online versus printing to save paper
Similarly to your textbooks, do your best to read online instead of printing. This saves paper, which is obviously better for the environment. Adobe Reader has some great annotation features for PDFs that can be used for note taking. I loved doing this in college because I was able to have everything on my laptop when I studied at a library – no need to lug around a binder full of articles! If you need to print something, make sure to print double sided and two pages to a side. This will print 4 pages of your reading on one piece of paper, which still saves at least a little paper!
~Always opt for a sustainable version of your favorite school supplies!
If you have to buy new, don’t just purchase the cheapest thing at Walmart. While this is tempting, these are not always the best eco-friendly options. (Yes, even if it is marked “sustainable” or “recycled paper” – I see you greenwashing companies!) Instead, I suggest doing some research and finding smaller brands that have exactly what you need. From zero waste planners to highlighter pencils, there are a bunch of awesome eco-friendly school supplies out there! Buying from these companies supports small business and ensures that you are buying the most planet-friendly option.
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Final Thoughts on Zero Waste School Supplies
Overall, it is totally possible to have zero waste school supplies! βοΈ While the back to school shopping list can be overwhelming at times, it is totally manageable if you reduce the new items you have to purchase. I suggest using what you have first, then looking at all secondhand options before buying new. Then, do your research to pick a great sustainable alternative to the product you were looking to buy! I hope everyone is having a great back to school season so far – I am so excited for autumn and the upcoming months ahead!What was your favorite back to school purchase this year? Comment below and let me know what sustainable brands you love!
