In the Loop: August 2026

27 Oct, 2026

Back to School, Back to Sustainability

Back to School, Back to Sustainability

As classrooms fill up and a new school year begins, there’s another topic worth putting on the syllabus: sustainability. From print cartridges to everyday school supplies, schools move through countless materials each year, with about 77% of all school supplies ending up as waste.. Each new school year is an opportunity to rethink how materials are used, reused, and recycled. By reusing what we already have, recycling at the end of a product’s useful life, and keeping materials in circulation, schools can make sustainability part of everyday practices and learning.

Mini Deep-Dive: The Circular Classroom

A sustainable school starts with a simple question: What happens to everything we use after we’re finished with it?

The answer doesn’t always have to be the trash bin.

Back-to-school season is a great time to take inventory of what schools already have and identify what can be reused, repaired, donated, or shared. The same mindset also applies to the materials schools generate throughout the year. Empty print cartridges, outdated electronics, used school supplies and even waste 3D printer filament can be responsibly recovered instead of sent to landfill.

When students participate through collection drives, recycling programs, or reuse initiatives, sustainability becomes more than a lesson in a textbook. It becomes something they can see and practice every day.

Words of Wisdom

“It’s not about perfection, it’s about progress. Every little bit counts.”

– Bea Johnson, Author and Zero Waste Pioneer

Schools Making the Grade: Grade Schools Put Circularity Into Practice

This past July, Montgomery County Public Schools demonstrated what a circular back-to-school program can look like. Nearly 90 schools participated in the district’s annual cleanout, collecting more than 9,200 pounds of school supplies that were sorted and redistributed to families before the new school year.

The program shows that keeping materials in circulation can have a meaningful impact—reducing waste while making sure useful supplies reach students who need them.

Read the full story from Montgomery County Public Schools

Back-to-School Sustainability Starts With Reuse

The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) is encouraging families to rethink the traditional back-to-school shopping routine. Its latest guidance recommends checking what you already have, buying only what is needed, donating unwanted supplies, and choosing secondhand options when possible.

It’s a simple reminder that sustainability doesn’t always start with recycling, it can start by not creating the waste in the first place.

Read the full story from SWACO

Schools & Sustainability: How Close the Loop Can Help

Schools have a unique opportunity to make sustainability part of the everyday learning experience, and RecyclingKits.com makes it easy to put those lessons into action.

Recycling Kits collection boxes make it easy to keep materials like used school supplies out of landfill. While giving students a hands-on way to learn about reuse, recycling, and the importance of responsible waste management. Check out RecyclingKits.com here

This school year, let’s go beyond the classroom and put sustainability into practice!

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