When it comes to plastic waste, pens are often overlooked. Turn your workspace green by using eco-friendly pens instead. Here's what's available on the market.
Many of us use pens almost every day. Despite technological advancements, the mighty pen is still a popular method for jotting down thoughts, notes, and to-do lists. It’s estimated that 9 billion pens are sent to landfills each year worldwide — which poses a problem.
Not only is the plastic from pens seldom recycled, but any leftover ink can also contaminate soil and groundwater. When you take into account the number of resources that go into actually making the pen in the first place, you realize just how big of a problem this is.
That’s where eco-friendly pens enter the picture. Selecting the right pens to use can help alleviate some of that unnecessary waste.
Eco-Friendly Fountain Pens
(Foto: CC0 Public Domain / Unsplash / Aaron Burden )
Fountain pens are by far the most eco-friendly pen on the market, especially if you purchase them secondhand. They are built to last, which is why they can come with a hefty price tag. Fountain pens can be used with an ink bottle (which can be recycled when empty) or with a refillable cartridge called a converter.
If you’re new to fountain pens, you can start with an inexpensive model like the Pilot Kakuno, which is made from 88% recycled content. You can find it on the Pilot website or add it to your cart on Amazon**.
For those preferring a more timeless look, try the Lamy Studio pen made out of metal. It comes in various colors, and you can find a store near you via the Lamy website or buy it on Amazon**.
To make your writing as environmentally friendly as possible, look for non-toxic and water-based inks, such as J Herbin inks, available on Amazon**.
Pens Made With Natural Materials
(Foto: CC0 Public Domain / Unsplash / Clem Around The Corner)
The next two eco-friendly pens on our list are made using sustainable, environmentally-friendly materials. This helps to keep excess plastic waste out of our landfills and waterways. Unfortunately, there is no fully biodegradable pen available on the market, but these pens come a lot closer than their plastic counterparts.
First up is the Earth Pen, which is made using recycled kraft paper and is manufactured in an FSC-approved factory. FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council, a non-profit that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests. The Earth Pen uses up to 85% less plastic than a conventional ballpoint pen, and the ink is non-toxic. You can purchase this pen from the Eco Pen Club website.
Next, we have a retractable ballpoint pen from Conscience Concepts. The barrel of the pen is made out of cork, while the tips and clips are made from recycled wheat straw, which is a byproduct of harvesting grains. Their colorful pens can be purchased on the Conscience Concepts website, or you can add them to your cart on Amazon**.
Using Recycled Pens
(Foto: CC0 Public Domain / Unsplash / Marcus Urbenz)
Pens made from recycled materials are another alternative to conventional pens. There are a wide variety of materials that can be recycled and converted into new products.
Onyx + Green has created a great line of pens from recycled materials. Their range of recycled eco-friendly pens includes ones made from coffee grounds, milk cartons, and plastic bottles. You can purchase these on the Onyx + Green website.
Pilot Pen has released its B2P pen, which stands for the bottle to pen. They created this pen to help upcycle the millions of plastic bottles that typically go to landfills every day. This eco-friendly pen is made up of 86% recycled plastic bottles and is refillable, so you can continue to use it long after the initial ink has dried up. Purchase yours on the Pilot Pen website or shop at their store on Amazon**.
Read more:
- How to Write a Journal and Make it a Habit: Benefits of Journal Writing
- The Ultimate Sustainable Back to School Guide 2022
- 4 Examples of Scrap Metal You Can Recycle
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