6 Ways to Go Green with Your Homeschooling

When we first started homeschooling, one of the many things I noticed is that we began going through tons of paper, crayons, pencils, workbooks, and other non-reusable supplies. Because we were figuring out what homeschooling would look like for us, I just rolled with it. However, now that we’re more settled in, I’m actively seeking ways to minimize our waste.

Thankfully, there are many ways to do this. Quite a few of these require minimal effort so they don’t add additional strain to homeschooling parents who already have a lot going on!

Low-waste homeschooling

Buy used

Many approaches to homeschooling require lots of supplies. This is certainly true of the approach we use! We have a room full of books, maps, puzzles, supplies for science experiments, educational games, and art supplies. Did I mention books? I did, but they deserve to be mentioned twice because we have so many!

All of these things require raw materials to produce and they consume resources during the manufacturing process and while being transported to stores for sale or delivered to homes after being purchased online. We can cut down on all of this consumption if we buy used items, especially if we buy them locally so that supplies aren’t needed to package and ship them. Books are an obvious item to find used at book stores, library sales, and thrift stores, but you can find many other educational items (globes, art supplies, puzzles, white boards, etc.) from individuals via Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace and at homeschool curriculum swap meets, garage sales, and thrift stores.

Borrow

If you need a particular item temporarily, especially an expensive item such as a microscope, telescope, or piece of sports equipment, see if you can borrow it. Check with other homeschooling families in your area to see if they have one and would be willing to loan it to you. Also check with your local library. They have lots of books, music CDs, and DVDs, of course, but many libraries also lend a wide variety of other items. For example, our county library system allows patrons to borrow puzzles, telescopes, metal detectors, knitting looms, felting kits, folding wagons, etc.

Use paperless options

We often use paper for a number of things that we could accomplish using reusable tools. For example, we have our kiddos use paper when solving math problems or practicing handwriting. Instead of using paper, we could use lapboard whiteboards that can be erased and reused. These even come in varieties that contain lines for writing or grids for making graphs. Dry erase pocket protectors are another useful tool. These allow you to print one copy of a document and make it into a multiuse item.

In general, I prefer print books over eBooks. However, my appreciation for eBooks is growing and this is helpful because eBooks are another paperless option. Though electronic varieties won’t work for all the books we use in homeschooling, they are suitable substitutes for some books. Would eBooks be something you can utilize?

Another option to consider is an online curriculum. There are several different options out there. We’ve never used any of these, so I can’t speak to their quality (if you have experience with any of them, then please feel free to share below in the comments). These may be something you want to consider. They would likely allow you to get by without using much paper or other disposable supplies.

Reuse and recycle

When we do need to use paper and other disposable products, we can make sure that we reuse them to the extent possible. I know I’m guilty of not always doing this, so I’m trying to be good about reusing everything! Sometimes I would print some sort of worksheet and once one of my girls was done with it I would toss it in the recycling bin. Now I’m being careful to make sure I use the other side of the paper, too. We’re also doing things like melting down broken crayons to make new ones and using items from around the house (such as toilet paper tubes and yogurt tubs) to make art.

When we can’t reuse something or we’re done reusing it, we’re sure to recycle it! Check with your local recycling service to see what items are accepted for recycling in your community.

Use recycled or eco-friendly varieties

When we do need to purchase new supplies, we can look for eco-friendly or recycled varieties. These sometimes cost a little more than standard versions, but they are greener. Paper items are an obvious thing to consider when looking for recycled or eco-friendly items, but I’ve recently seen greener options when it comes to many things (art supplies, pens and pencils, three-ring binders, etc.).

Take greener field trips

One of the many awesome things about homeschooling is that we can take field trips to all sorts of places. There are a couple of ways we can go green when it comes to field trips. First, when going on traditional field trips (to the zoo, museums, etc.) we can carpool with other homeschooling families, consider public transportation options, walk/bike (if possible), or take fuel-efficient vehicles. If we take lunches with us, we can package these in reusable containers instead of disposable plastic ones. Second, we can go on field trips that actually help the environment. For example, we can join with local groups that plant trees or get together with others to clean up litter on the beach or along roadways.

Final thoughts

It’s interesting that many of these strategies, including buying used and borrowing, can save money. I’m always looking for ways to be frugal, so I love these approaches!

Are you trying to be more green in how you homeschool or do anything else around the house? If so, what strategies are working for you?

Shared at the following:

Encouraging Hearts and Home, Over the Moon, and Busy Monday.