But the good news is that if you buy a quality pen, it should last you a lifetime, meaning they’re as close as you’re going to get to a truly zero waste pen.Remember when Nokia phones were a rave? Back in the day, we’d get our fingers sore from typing out SMSes to our friends. Unfortunately, the environmental cost of sourcing the metals used in fountain pens doesn’t make them 100% eco-friendly. Modern fountain pens also have an easy filling system allowing you to draw ink up into the pen by submerging the nib and turning the barrel. And there are also plenty of ink colors to choose from if you don’t like the typical black or blue – making fountain pens a versatile choice. Nibs can be changed out, giving you the ability to write finer or broader lines all with the same writing instrument. Because they are made of metal or stainless steel, they are very durable and can last from generation to generation.
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Often thought of as archaic and difficult, fountain pens are actually quite easy to use and many people even find them much more enjoyable to write with.Įssentially ink reservoirs with a metal nibs at the end, they can be used over and over and refilled with ink when they run out. You can read more about why these pens have been chosen below. Let’s look at some of the best options for zero waste pens. There are some eco-friendly pens, however, and as consumers become more aware of plastic waste, the market for plastic-free pens is expanding. With the exception of quill pens (which are not at all practical), there’s no such thing as completely zero waste pens. Some people like “ the Pen Guy” have even made amazing works of art out of many people’s old pens. If you’re feeling crafty, you can string them together into a placemat or cut them apart to make beads. The bodies without the ink cartridges make great garden stakes, drink stirrers, or cat toys. And if there’s not, you could be the person to start one.Īlternatively, you can upcycle old pens. With 5,500 participating locations in the US, there may even be a drop-off point at your local OfficeMax, Staples, public library, or school. You can request a label online and send your used pens, markers, highlighters, and even paint sets and flexible packing to TerraCycle to be recycled. Bic and TerraCycle have created a national recycling programme for writing instruments that was created to help tackle the pen waste problem. Pen recycling isn’t as easy as putting pens in your curbside bin, but it does exist. Add in the environmental cost of raw materials and production, and you’ll soon realise pens have a hefty environmental footprint. Consider the ink left in pens and how this contaminates soil and water.
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The environmental impact doesn’t end there though.
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More often than not, they’re simply discarded in the trash where they’ll take hundreds of years to decompose.Īnd considering how often people lose them, many probably don’t even make it to the landfill.
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See our full disclosure here.įirst and foremost, the pen’s plastic bodies are not usually recycled. This article may contain compensated/affiliate links. Plastic straws and bags have been under fire for being unnecessarily wasteful, but almost no one addresses this everyday writing utensil and the options available for eco-friendly and zero waste pens. Back in 2005, BIC – a single brand – celebrated its 100 billionth sale.
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How many pens do you have at home? 10? 20? 50? Multiply this by billions of people, and that’s a lot of pens being used, and a lot of pens destined for the trash.