Use wooden pencils instead of plastic pencils.

There could be a little debate on whether plastic is better than paper when it comes to pencils.

Some plastic pencils are refillable if users take the time to purchase refills and actually refill them. The refills are sold in small plastic boxes and the user would need to make sure they purchased the right size lead to refill the pencil. The pencils and refills can be expensive, but if the user was diligent, the plastic pencil could last a long time. However, refill boxes are extra plastic being purchased over time.

Wooden pencils destroy the forest. They are cheap to purchase, especially if you purchase them with all the other back-to-school supplies. They need to be sharpened, so a sharpener must be on hand. They are harder to manipulate the more they are used and may need to be replaced more often than a plastic pencil.

But, unlike plastic pencils, wooden pencils are compostable and biodegradable, except for the metal piece that holds the eraser. The lead is made from graphite, clay, and charcoal. The sharpener shavings and actual pencil could be thrown in my backyard composter. Only the metal piece would need to be thrown away.

Even if users purchase refillable plastic pencils and refill them, at some point they still end up in the landfill where they will not decompose for hundreds of years. We have enough of a plastic problem as it is.

So, the next time you or your kiddo need new pencils, consider purchasing the more environmental choice- plain old wooden pencils.