Go green with back to school shopping

As summer winds down it’s time for parents and kids to start thinking about heading back to school. Get tips here on how to go green when shopping for back to school supplies.

Reuse old supplies: Before heading to the store take inventory on what supplies from last year could be reused. This will help you save money and will also allow you to recycle last year’s notebooks and writing utensils.

Buy recycled products: When shopping for new items try to first buy supplies that are made with recycled materials.

Swap with friends: Before heading to the store for new clothes and backpacks, see if you can swap items with other families. Some schools organize school supply swaps, otherwise you can contact a few families in your neighborhood to see if they’re interested in trading items.

Only buy what you need: When buying school supplies it can be tempting to buy enough paper, notebooks, tissues and pencils for an entire year. However, you don’t know how much your kids will actually use. Instead, buy enough for the beginning of the school year and then if and when your child runs out you can purchase more.