Heading back to school this fall looks very different for most children, but what hasn’t changed is the heavy use of single-use plastic in school supplies. Binders, notebooks, dividers, and mechanical pencils that help students learn are all usually made with plastic that will pollute our world long after the school year is over.
Fortunately, California-based Wisdom Supply Company is fighting waste by creating environmentally-friendly school supplies. Their products include a cardboard binder with removable, reusable internal metal clips, plastic-free notebooks, unpainted pencils, and a tin pencil case. To make it easy for parents, the company sells inclusive zero-waste kits that differ based on age. They have kits for elementary school, high school, college, and even for professionals.
Founder Heather Itzla started the women-owned B-Corp after seeing the sheer amount of waste produced by her local school every June. Co-founder Nicole Kozlowski came on board after meeting Itzla at ocean clean-up events. The pair hope that their products not only keep plastic out of our seas but also help educate children on the value of sustainability.
Wisdom Supply Company’s website displays the quote: “Waste is a design flaw.” Reducing our plastic footprint means making design changes across all industries and we are excited to see other companies follow suit in designing waste-free products for everyday use.
Image source: Inhabitat
