9/2/09

So, which pencil is the greenest pencil? It's not the plastic refillable kind. While they may seem green because you refill them when needed, the reality is that these pencils A) break, B) are made from non-renewable plastic, and C) the refills come in plastic tubes. Stick with the good, old-fashioned wood pencil instead. Many are now made from reclaimed wood, which would've otherwise gone into landfills.

9/1/09

Here's a quick way to update a three-ring binder that you either use at the office or give to your child to take to school. Pick up some self-adhesive kitchen shelf liners from the home improvement store. Trace the dimensions of the binder -- the front, back and side -- and cut them out with scissors. Remove the backing from the liner and stick into place. Instant makeover.

8/31/09

With school just around the corner, now's the time to start thinking recycled products when shopping for new supplies. Look for pencils, notepads, reams of paper, ink jet cartridges, envelopes and even binders and folders that are made from recycled materials. Look for "post-consumer" waste, which comes from recyclables we put out for pickup. Also consider re-evaluating last year's supplies; if it's in good shape, why not reuse it?