Bambini is an ongoing column that features Bamboo’s favourite eco parenting ideas and products, for children of all ages.

As any parent who’s readied a young child for school can vouch, the shinier and more plastic-heavy a product is, the more likely your child is to want it. The good news? Not all back-to-school supplies are taxing on the environment.
Here are a few earth-friendly goods we love:

Paper
Banana Paper Journals (US $9) are made with 100 percent post-consumer tree-free paper, including a blend of post-consumer and agricultural waste, as well as reclaimed leather bindings and a hardcover comprised of recycled paper and board.

Greenroom Eco (US $2+) uses recycled paper and non-toxic soy inks in their adorably designed notebooks, binders and journals.

Pens & Crayons
The Paper Mate Biodegradable Retractable Ball Pen (C $2) is comprised mostly of corn-based material and will biodegrade within a year of being placed in soil or a composter.

Stockmar Beeswax Stick Crayons (US $15) use pure beeswax as a binding agent, are additive-free and are certified non-toxic by the Art and Craft Materials Institute.

Pencils
Smencils (C $17/for 10) are made from 100 percent recycled newspapers and recycled plastics. These pencils not only use environmentally friendly fragrances to smell great, they also write like regular pencils, include biodegradable erasers and come packaged in corn-based biodegradable plastic tubes.
Ticonderoga Renew Pencils (US $6/for 10) are made from recycled tires and are certified non-toxic.

Ruler, Sharpener & Scissors
More eco-friendly than your average school supplies, products in the Westcott Kids KleenEarth are made with 70 percent recycled and 30 percent post-consumer content, and each offers antimicrobial protection to inhibit the growth of bacteria.