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MARGARET IN WEST VIRGINIA ASKS:
The fifth grade school supply list for my daughter is full of plastic—pens, binders, markers, glue sticks, scissors, even plastic sandwich baggies. I know plastic is bad for our planet and health. How do I find plastic-free alternatives for school supplies this back-to-school season? And bonus points if you have tips for reducing the plastic in her lunchbox every day.
Tell Congress: Protect Families From the Plastics and Petrochemical Industry
MOM DETECTIVE ANSWERS:
Oh, hello there, Margaret. You are very much speaking my language. I try to minimize plastic whenever and wherever I can for, as you say, our planet and health. Plastics are incredibly harmful at every stage of their life cycle, from extraction of the fossil fuels used to create them to their disposal. Think of all of the plastic school supplies now in landfills across the country. Sigh.
Confession: I used to get really angry at hyper plastic-y school supply lists, and I may have even sent one back once annotated with my very own plastic-free list. Allow us both to learn from my (obnoxious) mistakes. These days, I consider lists from the school to be general suggestions of what they want every student to have. I follow instructions, but in this instance, no one needs to adhere to these lists exactly (unless a teacher truly needs everyone to have the same graph paper notebook for math—I learned this the hard way). Feel free to either ignore any request or ask questions about intended use so you can swap in a plastic-free alternative. Like, who “needs” plastic sandwich baggies and why? Once, I was asked to bring my younger daughter a change of clothing for the year in a “labeled one gallon plastic resealable” bag. I sent the clothing in a reusable cloth bag with her name on it, no seal.
No one cared.
Here’s the thing about plastic-free back-to-school shopping: some items are easy to find (wood pencils are an obvious example, though my very own kids prefer the plastic ones!) while other items (plastic-free glue sticks) are harder to find and are sometimes overly expensive. Who has the time or resources to scour the internet for weeks leading up to the first day of school? Not me.
Let’s go through your list, with two caveats.
- I will explain how to and what to look for, but I don’t ever suggest brands. I’m in my office at my computer, not out there verifying at manufacturing plants that brands are indeed safe and not, say, switching materials or changing ingredients to something less safe. Whenever possible, look for third-party certification that backs up claims made by brands.
- Recycled plastic is problematic. It has an “eco” halo about it, like who wouldn’t want a pen case, markers, or binders made from a recycled material, but plastics recycling is a technically problematic and polluting process that generates higher toxicity plastic. “Bio” or “plant-based” plastics are also problematic and not as “eco” as they sound. Just look for supplies that aren’t plastic at all.
OK, here we go.
Plastic-free back-to-school shopping
Pens: Seek out affordable pens made from metal, wood, cork, or recycled paper online or in a store that carries office supplies. Some are even refillable. It’s the rare pen that doesn’t have a plastic ink cartridge, just FYI. Plastic-free pens can be expensive, so let your kids know you’re hoping these don’t get lost—and why.
Binders: Plastic-free binders can be made from natural fibers like cardboard, kraft paper, linen, and even metal—like those used for medical charts. Metal is mostly found online and is undeniably the most expensive binder material, but it’s chic, unusual, and will last for all of middle school and into high school, too—if your kid is willing.
Markers: This is a tough call; markers are pretty much always plastic. My older daughter is an artist and not allowing her to have markers would have hindered her work. When she was young, I got away with plastic-free wax “markers,” colored pencils, and various painstakingly researched paint crayons. I gave in to plastic markers as her art making progressed, as long as they were water-based and as nontoxic as possible; I didn’t want her breathing unsafe fumes as she created. All the more reason to minimize plastics in other, easier ways. (My artist is now a sophomore in a joint BA-BFA college program, and some days, I credit the markers!)
Glue sticks: Again, tricky. When kids are little, DIY glue out of cornstarch and hot water works. But you can’t ask a fifth grader to take that to school! When I was growing up, we had rubber cement in metal containers. There appear to be some “child-safe” versions of this for sale today, but rubber cement can contain unsafe solvents that would pollute indoor air—and it’s highly flammable. I’ve seen tins of solvent-free paste made in Europe at plastic-free stores, but you really have to go out of your way to find it. Plus it’s expensive. And it’s not a stick. Looks like a hole in the market! I’d ask the teacher if you can buy one large container of non-toxic glue for the whole classroom to share in paper, not plastic, cups in an effort to cut down on plastic. You never know…
Scissors: This one is actually easy! Some scissors have plastic handles, yes, but there are lots of other handle options made from wood to stainless steel and in a variety of price points. Even better? If you have an extra pair at home, just use those.
Plastic sandwich baggies: There’s just no need for single-use bags ever. Zero. Don’t send these to school. There are plenty of cloth sandwich bags if you want to buy new or just reuse a cloth bag something else you bought came in. I have so many of these I never know how to use them all. Win-win.
Phew, we got through your list!
Lunch time!
You also asked for tips for reducing daily lunchbox plastic. While some plastic is marketed as “food safe,” many questions remain about the safety of food stored in plastic and the research on microplastics in things like single-use water bottles makes it seem like a very good idea to ditch plastic at lunch. Thankfully, removing plastic from a lunch box is an easy lift, and I write about it not infrequently. The key is stocking up on reusables (lunch bag, sandwich bags, water bottle, thermos, utensils, tiffins, and more)—and using them every day.
Margaret, I suspect you’re not the only parent who would prefer less plastic in the classroom. Ask around and join forces. A group of you can ask the class parent, the teacher, and even the school board to adopt strategies to reduce plastics in the building. You can also get the students involved. I can’t think of a better response to a school supply list littered with plastic than to form a plastic-free back-to-school coalition and make real change for the whole community.
Have a great school year!
Tell Congress: Protect Families From the Plastics and Petrochemical Industry