Green Back to School Ideas

Reader Contribution by Lindsey Siegele
article image

At 8 years old, I thought the first day of school was a holiday. I got to wear a new outfit. My mom fussed over my hair. My brother, sister and I posed for pictures (at home and climbing onto the bus). The first day of school had all the makings of a holiday celebration, and I was often so excited to go back to school that I would only sleep for a couple of hours the night before my first day.

Today, I wish that I could bring back that first-day-of-school adoration. That passion that made me burst into tears when my mom told me I had to stay home because of a lousy case of pink eye is long gone. Now, as a 24-year-old graduate student, I see supermarket shelves stocked with backpacks, notebooks and writing utensils and cringe. I prepare myself for spending hundreds of dollars on school supplies, most of which I don’t particularly want (my enormous calculus textbooks spring to mind).

This year will be different. I’m preparing myself for my final year of school ever. In the future, the only back-to-school shopping I’ll have to do will be for my excited children who also believe school is something to celebrate. So this year, I’ll add a little bit of excitement to my school anticipation by attempting to make my school year as eco-friendly as possible. These green back to school ideas will get you on your way to an eco-friendly school year as well.

Take the Bus, Carpool, Bike or Walk

  • Published on Jul 30, 2010
Tagged with: Reader Contributions
Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368