It’s great to have a fresh start to the New Year – however, when you are preparing the kids to go back to school, there’s plenty of ways to avoid unnecessary waste and save a bit of money too! New uniforms, stationery, lunch boxes and backpacks are all nice to have, but make a big impact on the environment in terms of the trees, energy and other resources they take to produce. Here’s some of our tips to reduce, reuse and recycle in time for Term 1:

1. Reuse from last year: Fix old binders, dig out the old stationary and see if you can repair your backpack. Encourage the kids to use notebooks double sided – it saves a lot of trees in the long run.
    
2. Plan: Make a list of everything you need before heading to the store so that you resist impulse buying.
    
3. At the shops: Buy durable items like lunch boxes and backpacks that you can reuse for years to come. Try to purchase items that use recycled content – like paper – and suggest to the store they stock it, if it’s unavailable. Also, avoid items with lots of packaging.
    
4. Batteries: Consider rechargeable batteries and make sure any disposable batteries are dropped off at battery recycling stations instead of going in the bin. Visit recycleright.net.au to find drop off locations.
    
5. Lunch responsibly: Pack lunches in reusable containers and don’t forget your refillable water bottle. Avoid buying individual packaging for snack items like chips, cheese and biscuits. Bento-box style lunches boxes like these are a fantastic way to reduce waste.
    
6. Twice loved: Does your school have a second-hand program? If so it’s a great way to save money on uniforms, books and even computers. Otherwise, there are online communities where you can buy and trade these items.
    
7. Safe and sound: Encourage the kids to take care of their items. Treat them well and put them back in their backpack so they can return to school time and time again.