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Green Pencils and Pens

a Care2 favorite by Annie B. Bond
filed under: On The Go, Healthy Offices
Green Pencils and Pens
45 comments

A Green Seal Choose Green Report, by Green Seal.

Every year Americans discard 1.6 million pens. Placed end to end, they would stretch 151 miles—equivalent to crossing the state of Rhode Island almost four times!

This is the time of year when many of us are busy buying school and office supplies. Here is a great listing of environmentally-conscious pens and pencils to help us to make better choices for the earth.

Although we throw them away, they can impact the environment in ways we do not often think about. Pens, pencils and markers are often tossed into the garbage and not recycled or reused. Their components and packaging are made from non-renewable resources and can contain environmentally damaging chemicals.

  • As consumers, we can make educated decisions in our purchasing of these items–decisions that will help to lessen their impact upon our natural environment.
  • Many companies presently carry one to several lines of products which have positive environmental attributes. These attributes include recycled content, refillable options, nontoxic inks and more environmentally responsible packaging.
  • Green Seal has surveyed manufacturers and distributors and has recommended products in various categories for our product table. The Recommended Products Table contains information on manufacturers and brands.

To read Green Seal’s environmental rating and recommends brands of 15 pens, 20 pencils, three markers, and two crayons—as well as information on recycled content, refillability, packaging and availability of writing instruments—download Green Seal’s Choose Green Report. Although this report was published in 1998, it is still relevant.

More on Healthy Offices (32 articles available)
More from Annie B. Bond (3247 articles available)

45 comments

Go to the Source

The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices: Practical Advice from the Union of Concerne

This guide takes on both sides of the consumer-impact argument, goring sacred cows of the environmentalist movement (like the strident emphasis on recycling) and the industrialist perspective (like the relentless message to buy more, more, more). If you're confused and overwhelmed by all the environmental decision-making in the modern world, you'll find new inspiration in this book.buy now

Our Ecological Footprint : Reducing Human Impact on the Earth by Williams E. Rees, Phil Testemale (I

Equipped with useful charts and thought-provoking illustrations, this book introduces a revolutionary new way to determine humanity's impact on the Earth and presents an exciting and powerful tool for measuring and visualizing the resources required to sustain households, communities, regions, and nations. buy now

45 comments

add your comment »
45 comments add your comment
Maria Westin

Forgot to add the link:
http://www.terracycle.net/products/70-Newspaper-Pencils

Maria Westin

Terracycle.net sells pencils made from newspapers:

Tere M.
  • Tere M. says
  • Aug 31, 2009 3:21 PM

Pental makes the HyperG pen that is safe for people non toxic and Eath safe(recycology). Personally speaking I really like this pen as it is comfortable and has nice inking. I am so happy that Pental uses science for things like reducing, reusing and recycling makes me feel better about buying their products :)

Glyn P.
  • Glyn P. says
  • Aug 31, 2009 7:05 AM

Works for me !

Green D.

Have you folks checked our the greenciles at www.greenciles.com? These are pencils made from recycled newspaper.

Chakwaina Reeves

Writing pencils do NOT contain lead. The writing part is graphite. Lead does not make a dark enough mark on paper.

Arlette S.

happy new NON-consumer of chemicalwastepencils

Lisa Gillespie

I never thought about the lead in pencils going to landfills. Where I work just thoughtlessly tosses out white out and markers and so much else.I am bringing this up at our next meeting and will do my best to show the mindless polluting we do there.

Debi Skelton

yeyyy Green!!!

Dyala S.

I will start today

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Adapted from a Green Seal Choose Green Report, by Green Seal. Copyright (c) by Green Seal. Reprinted by permission of Green Seal.

Disclaimer: Care2.com does not warrant and shall have no liability for information provided in this newsletter or on Care2.com. Each individual person, fabric, or material may react differently to a particular suggested use. It is recommended that before you begin to use any formula, you read the directions carefully and test it first. Should you have any health care-related questions or concerns, please call or see your physician or other health care provider.

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