At school or at the office, each new school year brings its share of new resolutions, organizations and supplies. It is sometimes difficult to see clearly and to make eco-responsible choices when the stress of the start of the new school year in September reappears (goodbye idleness and nap in the sun…)

So to help you this year, and after giving you some tips for spending an eco-responsible holiday , we are offering you some ideas for a return to school under the sign of sustainable development!

Then, before going to survey the store shelves, we wait patiently for the list of teachers, this avoids buying supplies that we do not need.

Once the list of missing supplies obtained, we are now sure to buy only what is necessary!

On the fridge and cupboard side , here too we adopt the right gestures from the start of the school year, by reducing food waste:

We pay attention to the expiry dates and we differentiate DLC – expiry date – and DDM (ex DLUO) – date of minimum durability

Organize the cupboards by putting the products to be consumed first in front

We recycle the belongings of the previous year

At work and at school, fashion and desires sometimes push us to buy new things while they are still in perfect condition.

Is last year’s computer bag still usable? Maybe a simple makeover is enough! So, let your creativity do the talking and personalize your business. You can easily find inspiration on the Internet and a few accessories later, voila!

Opt for eco-responsible office supplies

Sometimes you have to resort to going to the store shelves to buy the missing supplies. But here too we can make some adjustments to be more eco-responsible:

Favor simple and timeless supplies such as unvarnished wooden pencils and rulers, a metal pencil sharpener, an unbreakable square and we favor rechargeable equipment. So no more scented pens and markers, or unnecessary colors or glitter

Opt for glue sticks and tape correctors rather than liquids.

Give priority to products that are lightly packaged and made from recycled materials…

For example, at the office or at home, we favor recycled paper and avoid unnecessary printing. What if a sheet is printed by mistake? We use it as a draft.

We are looking for the labels

Before buying, find out about the logos and how to spot them by consulting the ADEME guide (ecological transition agency).

We favor in particular the European Ecolabel or the Blue Angel label which selects supplies made of recycled and recyclable paper.

You can also choose PEFC and FSC certified products, which guarantee that the product has been designed with respect for sustainable forest management.

Apart from the labels, it can also be difficult to see clearly among all the environmental claims: organic, biodegradable, sustainable, eco, eco-designed… Késako?

Here again, the ADEME guide, which can be downloaded for free, allows us to see things more clearly and make the right choices for the start of the 2021 school year!

Think about repair or occasion

Need new clothes for your restaurant outings, new school books or recipe books? It is possible to buy used in specialized shops, on the Internet or in thrift stores. You can find everything second-hand: clothes, books, bags, furniture, bicycles, smartphones, computers…

The same goes for getting rid of clothes or objects that you no longer want.

We are thinking of selling them on specialized second-hand sites or we are approaching local associations to give a second life to clothes that we no longer wear.

A device at home seems “broken”? Before throwing it away, check if it can be repaired.

If you can’t do it, entrust it or sell it to a professional who will know how to give it a second life! All it takes is a little patience to take economic and ecological action.

Invest in reusable tableware

For lunch breaks at the office or children’s snacks, we think of cutlery and other reusable containers.

We prefer reusable stainless steel or plastic lunch boxes. They are chosen without BPA (endocrine disruptor present in food plastics) and made in France to reduce its carbon footprint.

Same approach for water bottles and thermos in stainless steel, glass or durable plastic, to stay hydrated all day!

Of course we avoid plastic cups at the coffee machine or at the water fountain, we take our cup or mug.

Bulk for snacks!

For snacks, we say stop to very polluting individual packaging for small gourmet breaks.

To do this, we take advantage of freshly purchased reusable containers and go to a local merchant who offers bulk products.

Fresh or dried fruits, cakes, biscuits… Everything can be bought in bulk…or you can cook yourself: granolas, cereal bars, biscuits, and other snacks… There are hundreds of easy and balanced recipes on the Internet !

First, head to responsible restaurants. To help you see more clearly, there are labels to identify establishments involved in sustainable development. Among these labels:

Michelin Green Star promotes establishments particularly committed to a sustainable approach to gastronomy: respect for the land, the seasons, animals, commitment to better food, etc.

If the restaurants in your neighborhood do not yet have a label or a Michelin star, give preference to those offering a menu made from fresh, local and seasonal products.