I came across a great list of back to school supplies the other day at FrogFile. There was a (PDF) list for elementary school students, high school students and post-secondary school students. Not only do they list the supplies, they suggest the most environmentally friendly alternatives on the market. Here are some of the highlights (and highlighters).

The Better Binder

This is one of my favourites as the kids get to doodle on it and make it their own. We have at least one kicking around the house and they are great. Made from 100% post-consumer recycled chipboard, it can be recycled when you are done with it. The ring can be attached to a new sleeve and a brand new binder is born.

Earthzone Pencils

These pencils are made from recycled newspaper and come in H or HB. Even the packaging itself is made from recycled paper. They have erasers on the end that don’t smudge. Look for them in packs of 12 or 144.

Faber-Castell Highlights

I haven’t bought highlighters lately, but when I do these will be the ones. I like that fact that I can refill them rather than toss them out.  Buying disposable pens and highlighters is one of my bad habits, and it is time to make a change. I am looking forward to giving these a try. I also like that fact that they use water-based inks.

Safe White Correction Fluid

I was thrilled to come across this product. My eldest daughter is always asking for correction fluid and up to now I have refused to buy any. I remember the powerfully toxic smell of the correction fluid I used as a kid. Here is the alternative. It is water-based and low odour. Now I can buy her correction fluid and not worry.

Frogfile is giving away a back-to-school package as well. Look for details on their site and enter by September 4, 2009.

Without wanting to give away TMI – that’s an acronym I invented for “Too Much Information” – I am dying to recount my reflections as a recent hire at a non-profit – please note, NOT the wonderfully green organization Ethical Consumer. I don’t mean for this to be some scathing exposé or critique whatsoever, as the organization is undoubtedly outstanding, but my first couple of weeks have been a serious wake-up call in terms of where I idealistically thought we were and how far we actually need to go with regard to sustainable, earth-conscious business and it becoming the rule rather than the exception.

To me, sustainability shouldn’t be some daunting hurdle to be clumsily and grudgingly leapt over, a distant problem no one wants to deal with. It should be easy. Yes, I said it – easy. Once some core systems are in place, sustainability can be a breeze! If there are guidelines and established systems in place, employees and managers alike will follow them. If one has to go out of their way to do something “green” around the workplace, unless this is a priority of theirs, chances are they won’t. It’s a pretty well known fact that humans can be pretty lazy – hence our myriad of efficiency tools: remote controls, garlic presses and coin sorters, take note.

The organization I work for touts itself as Zero Waste. These two words are music to my ears! I was so excited to finally be working for an organization that took this commitment seriously and was forging ahead and setting a good example for our surrounding communities. But what, exactly, does Zero Waste mean?

My inherent understanding of the term would be a literal translation – our waste output is zero. According to the ever-handy Wikipedia definition, “Zero Waste is a philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource-use systems in such a way that waste is reduced to zero. Put simply, zero waste extends current approaches to recycling by introducing the concept of circular systems in which as much waste as possible is reused, similar to the way that resources are reused in nature.” Sounds pretty darn awesome, right?

On the ground, there is a lot we are doing to fulfill this environmental promise but there is a lot more to be done. For me, it’s the simple little things we can do in our every day work that can be modified to suit a greener system as a whole. Sourcing eco-friendly office supplies from greener vendors, reeling in paper usage, ensuring recycling awareness and accessibility and including staff in the decision-making process are all important steps to truly greening an organization, not just slapping a logo on the website and calling it a day. Zero Waste is a process, not simply a static end result.

It can be hard to walk into a new place and see all the things you feel could be changed for the better. I’m not exactly a shrinking violet so instead of complaining loudly, I think I’ll start with gentle suggestions and go from there.

Zero Waste Logo

Gil Yaron, the “ecopreneur” behind earth-friendly online office supply shop Frogfile, shares some information about how businesses can make greener choices when it comes to paper, the ubiquitous office resource.

Offices are notorious for heavy paper consumption; the average office worker goes through a whopping 10,000 sheets of it in a single year. It is important for companies to make it known to their employees, and vice versa, that paper is not just an ever-present fixture, it’s a commodity that happens to be highly resource-intensive. Using paper more wisely, however, is only half the battle.

When asked about the easiest ways businesses can cut down on their paper consumption, Gil advises not printing reports, emails or other documents unless necessary and to incentivize staff or departments based on reduced consumption through contests or benefits.

Where socially responsible paper products available to Canadians are concerned, Gil tells EC, “There is no issue about ethical sourcing when it comes to papers manufactured in Canada and the US as far as I am aware, other than possibly unionization. Key criteria for consideration is source of fibre, percentage of post-consumer recycled content, processed chlorine-free or totally chlorine-free bleaching, location of mill in proximity to customer, certifications and third party verification of claims made regarding the paper, method of shipping the paper to market.”

Shipping remains a major contributor to the carbon footprint of various industries and is still an area that requires some serious innovation. Gil suggests that companies delivering paper can use biodiesel to reduce GHG emissions while businesses can consolidate their ordering to reduce the amount of deliveries being made. Frogfile has a number of programs in place to encourage customers to do this.

Where will Frogfile be in five years? Gil says, “I really have no idea. I imagine that when the market rebounds we will continue on an upward trajectory with great public interest in eco products generally. Many think we will remain a niche player, but I can only hope that our offerings will become mainstream.”

So do we!

Check out EC’s brand-spankin’-new EC Buying Guide: Paper to learn more about earth-conscious choices.