Your Guide To Back To School Sustainability

The time of year has come again (seriously, where did January even go?) where our kids have headed back to school. Whether they are in kindergarten, primary, or high school, there’s no denying that school lunch boxes generate a lot of waste - often more than we realise!

Between plastic wrapped sandwiches, single-use plastic containers, ziplock bags and plastic water bottles, you may not even realise the impact that this is having on the environment. Fortunately, we are lucky that there are now so many sustainable options and eco-friendly products out there.

We want to share with you our top tips for a sustainable year back at school!

Ditch the plastic wrapping

Is there anything better than opening up your lunchbox and seeing a delicious sandwich that has been packed and wrapped for you? Whether you are preparing lunch for your child or making your own school lunch, plastic wrapping is unfortunately still a go-to for many people. Plastic wrapping is very difficult to recycle and is full of nasty chemicals. This means that it pollutes our environment as it breaks down or when it ultimately ends up in landfill.

As an alternative, we love our Silicone Stretch Lids. They're not only washable and reusable, making them a great swap over from single-use plastic wrapping, but they're super versatile too- coming in six different sizes. They are made from a super high grade silicone and will last you for each and every school year to come

Say no to single-use plastic containers and ziplock bags

From last night’s leftovers to snacks of all kinds, lunchboxes are home to so much plastic waste. Does this mean you have to ditch the snacks? Absolutely not! An easy swap is to switch to reusable containers that can be brought back home and washed. Investing in some high quality containers will save you so much waste over the school year. 

It’s also time to ditch the plastic ziplock bags. From nuts to crackers to veggie sticks, we have become too dependent on traditional ziplock bags that mostly end up harming our environment. Our Reusable Silicone Ziplock Bags are the *perfect* eco-friendly alternative. They are so easy to clean and contain no nasty chemicals. They are super durable and high-quality, meaning they’ll be able to handle any and all snacks!

Go for zero-waste hydration

As most of us know, plastic water bottles are huge culprits when it comes to polluting our environment. They end up in our oceans, harm our animals, and take lifetimes to break down. This is why it’s time to make a change!

Our Stainless Steel Water Bottles will be the best addition you make to you or your child’s school bag this year. It’s durable (because let’s face it, school bags get thrown around!), sleek and designed to be spill-free. They are also ideal to keep your water cool all day long!

Get creative in the kitchen

Not only is this a fun activity for the whole family, it’s a great way to save some money and reduce waste. Making your own school snacks at home will help to reduce the amount of plastic waste from purchasing pre-packaged food, while also being a delicious and healthy alternative. From bliss balls to homemade muesli bars, there are so many fun and creative recipes to try. As a bonus, most of the ingredients can be purchased from your local bulk foods store.

While these swaps may seem simple, they really can have a huge impact across the school year and for many school years to come. It’s all about educating ourselves and making small changes that add up!