Back-to-school season doesn’t have to mean wasteful shopping sprees and mountains of plastic packaging. In this episode, we explore practical ways families, students, and teachers can make eco-friendly swaps—from reusing last year’s supplies to choosing quality over quantity, thrifting for treasures, and packing waste-free lunches. We’ll also highlight upcoming eco-events like World Cleanup Day, Car-Free Day, and a local Go Green! Fair. Whether you’re a parent, student, or teacher, these simple steps can make the school year greener and more sustainable.

• Upcoming eco-events: Climate Changemakers, World Cleanup Day, Car-Free Day, Go Green! Fair
• Top 10 sustainable school prep tips from Keep America Beautiful
• Reuse vs. buying new: tips for supplies, backpacks, and clothing
• Eco-friendly lunch ideas: reusable containers, bento boxes, & cutting down on packaging waste
• Smart shopping: thrifting, buying in bulk, and supporting local shops
• Teaching kids why sustainable choices matter
• Creative extras: back-to-school swaps, share tables, and paper-wise strategies

This school year, advocate for “Share Tables” in cafeterias—an easy way to reduce food waste by redistributing unopened or unused items to other students. Small actions like this ripple out to create big change in our schools and communities.

• [0:00] Intro
• [11:46]Top 10 Tips for Sustainable Back-to-School
• [27:25]More Back to School Tips!
• [38:36]Next Green Thing

Resources: 

• Keep America Beautiful - https://kab.org/10-sustainable-ways-to-prepare-for-back-to-school/
• UCRRA - https://ucrra.org/back-to-school/
• USDA Share Tables - https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/use-share-tables-child-nutrition-programs
• Decomposition -  https://decomposition.com/

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