Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Campus school supplies: Pens and pencils

Being in school can be wasteful when you consider all of the paper, pens, pencils and highlighters that get used and abused. For students seeking a way out of this trend, we've compiled a list of eco-friendly writing options that won't break the bank.

Pens
  • Woody Pens are crafted from sustained yield scrap wood and are refillable with Woody brand non-toxic ink refills made from a minimum of 30% post-consumer brass. There are no animal bi-products, and no plastic is used. Supposedly, brass ink cartridges last three times longer than ordinary plastic ones.
  • Grass Roots has pens made from Mater-Bi, a material derived from corn starch. 100% biodegradable, these pens look and feel like plastic. Whether you dispose of them in your compost heap or a landfill, breakdown will complete in about 12 months.
  • Spend a little extra money and support your university by purchasing a reusable, school-logo pen like this one from Queen's University.
Pencils
  • Earth Write pencils are PMA certified non-toxic. Although they are disposable, the casings are manufactured from 60% post-consumer waste (newspapers).
  • Consider going mechanical rather than disposable, with Pilot BeGreen RexGrip mechanical pencils. Made from 70% post-consumer material, including the packaging, you'll be able to reuse it for added green value.
Highlighters
  • Zebra Eco Highlighters are double-ended, and made from 70% post-consumer recycled plastics from items like cds and cell phones.
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