Back to School, the Sustainable Way: Smart Swaps for a Healthier Year
Back to School, the Sustainable Way: Smart Swaps for a Healthier Year
Author: Team Grove
That first-day-of-school morning rush hits differently. There’s the scramble to zip up backpacks, the last-minute hunt for missing shoes, and that quiet moment — a packed lunch in hand and a quick hug goodbye — when you hope you’ve set them up for a safe, thriving day.
But what if going back to school wasn’t just about early alarms and fresh pencils? What if it was also a chance to reset how we care for our kids and the planet?
As school gets ready to be back in session, it’s the perfect moment to stop and see what everyday school essential swaps we can make for our little ones that are kinder to their health — and better for the environment.
Picking school supplies has never been more important
From lunchboxes and water bottles to hand wipes and art supplies, school gear touches everything: hands, food, skin. And yet many common items — even those made for kids — contain ingredients and materials that aren’t doing them (or the Earth) any favors.
We’re talking about BPA and phthalates in plastics, synthetic fragrances in wipes and sanitizers, and microplastics that sneak into food containers, glitter glue, and even school clothes. These substances aren’t just problematic for developing bodies (think hormone disputing effects) — they’re also fueling an environmental crisis that sees plastic pollution clogging ecosystems and entering the food chain.¹
So let’s rethink the supplies list. Here's how to make healthy swaps that earn straight A’s for both people and the planet.
Smart swaps for a successful school year
These simple changes can help reduce your child’s exposure to harmful chemicals and shrink your family’s plastic footprint.
Make lunch waste-free
Plastic bags are a lunch-packing staple — and a single-use one. Choose food-safe silicone bags or beeswax wraps instead. They’re washable and cut way down on daily waste.
Upgrade the hydration game
Say goodbye to BPA and microplastics in plastic water bottles.² Durable, refillable bottles keep drinks cooler and safer — and they won’t end up in a landfill after one use.
Clean hands with fewer compromises
Many sanitizers come loaded with drying alcohols and synthetic fragrances.³ Look for options made with ingredients that are gentler on skin and don’t contribute to microplastic pollution.
Go gentle with wipes
Kids use wipes a lot — for sticky hands, messy desks, and bathroom breaks. Choose compostable versions free of phthalates and parabens to keep toxins off skin and out of the environment.
Opt for supplies that skip the plastic
Paper-based folders and notebooks are easy wins for plastic reduction. Bonus: They’re often made from post-consumer materials and can be 100% recyclable at the end of the year.
Let kids be the eco leaders
Swaps stick best when kids are in on the mission. Here are some ways you can get your kids can take part in the journey:
Let them decorate their reusable lunch gear or water bottles.
Pack lunch together and talk about why you're ditching plastic.
Chat with teachers about starting a classroom recycling bin.
Encourage them to share sustainable swaps with friends — kids are powerful influencers, too.
Start the school year consciously
Back-to-school season is more than a reset for routines — it’s a chance to prioritize our kids’ health. To lighten our impact on the planet. And to show that sustainability isn’t all-or-nothing — it’s one thoughtful choice at a time.
Don’t feel like you don’t have to swap everything at once. Even a single reusable water bottle is a step toward a healthier school year, and a healthier future.
Sources
1 Ullah, S., Ahmad, S., Guo, X., Ullah, S., Ullah, S., Nabi, G., & Wanghe, K. (2023). A review of the endocrine disrupting effects of micro and nano plastic and their associated chemicals in mammals. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 13, 1084236. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9885170/
2 Rádis-Baptista, G. (2023). Do synthetic fragrances in personal care and household products impact indoor air quality and pose health risks? Journal of Xenobiotics, 13(1), 121–131. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10051690/
3 Qian, N., Gao, X., Lang, X., Deng, H., Bratu, T. M., Chen, Q., Stapleton, P., Yan, B., & Min, W. (2024). Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 121(3), e2300582121. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10801917/
