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Back-to-school green tips

Sustainable living  ›  Stop waste before it starts  ›  Back-to-school tips

Getting ready for school? Go green with tips to save money, conserve natural resources and reduce your carbon footprint.

At home

• Pack waste-free lunches by using permanent containers, reusable utensils and cloth napkins.
• Host a fun clothing-swap party for friends and neighbors.
• Avoid buying too many supplies by inventorying what’s already at home.
• Rather than throw away unwanted items, gather up extra pens, pencils, rubber bands, paper clips and the like for donation to a local elementary school or to nonprofit organizations that accept school supplies.
• Keep a running list of needed items on the fridge, helping you stay organized to avoid multiple, last-minute car trips.
• Create weekly meal plans in advance to stock the fridge in one trip, saving time and gas money and reducing congestion and pollution.
• Choose tap water over bottled products. It’s just as good and – at less than a penny per gallon – it’s a great bargain.

At school

• Take good care of your pack, folders, cell phone and other items. They’ll last longer, saving you money in the long run.
• Prevent waste and unnecessary purchases by using pens until the ink runs out, holding on to pencils until they’re too short for writing and making use of each blank page in your notebook.
• Connect with dorm mates ahead of time to determine which housewares – from dishes and hair dryers to furniture and electronics – you can share, cutting down on unnecessary purchases.
• Reuse items from home when furnishing the dorm room. For remaining items still needed, check local thrift stores near the school.

On the go

• Shop for back-to-school apparel at thrift and vintage-clothing stores, giving good-quality, one-of-a-kind fashions a second life.
• Consider refurbished computers over new ones. They often cost less, and some come with a warranty when purchased from the manufacturer.
• Choose products with more recycled content – paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer materials, for example – and less or no packaging. If the product comes with packaging, first ensure the wrapping or container includes recycled content and can be recycled.
• Look for pens and pencils made with sustainably harvested wood or recycled content.
• Check thrift stores for reusable school supplies such as binders and backpacks.
• Collaborate with other parents on a carpool for the kids to reduce pollution and traffic congestion while saving time and money.
• Learn how high schoolers in the Portland Public School District can ride TriMet for free at http://trimet.org/fares/youthstudent.
• Explore options to safely bike and walk to school.

Related Links

Bike there!

Find bike safety information, videos and resources in English and en español. Learn where to purchase the Bike There! map, and view the interactive version of the map.

Walk There!

Find walking resources, maps and safety information in English and en español. Download the free iPhone Walk There! app and learn about the printed guidebook.

Share a ride

Discover information and links to easy ways to save money and reduce carbon emissions by carpooling, vanpooling or carsharing.

Ride public transit

Catch a bus or take the MAX for work or errands. Check schedules and use trip planners for the Portland-Vancouver area's public transit services.

Related Internet links

• Tips from the Center for a New American Dream

  (http://www.newdream.org/programs/beyond-consumerism/consuming-consciously/buy-green/back-to-school)

• Back-to-school tips from Earth 911

  (http://earth911.com/blog/2009/08/10/8-ways-to-green-back-to-school/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_content=447065717&utm_campaign=Earth911.com+Weekly+-+8/12+_+ktjttt&utm_term=8+Ways+to+Green+Back+to+School)

• SCRAP

  (http://www.scrapaction.org)

• Schoolhouse Supplies

  (http://www.schoolhousesupplies.org)

• Drive Less. Save More.

  (http://www.drivelesssavemore.com)

• TriMet

  (http://www.trimet.org)