A Box of Quality Bamboo Alloy Pencils

Switching to eco friendly pencils is one of the simplest ways to help the planet. Whether you sketch, take notes, or just love a good crossword, these pencils add a happy, green twist to your everyday routine.

Pencils are choking hazards, so keep them away from young children and pets. Some plantable ‘seed pencils’ contain wildflowers that are not safe near animal friends. Read our post on pet-friendly gardens.

Never throw pencils on the street. Any litter ends up going down storm drains and into the sea. If you’ve ever accidentally stabbed your hand with a pencil, you can imagine how discarded pens and pencils can harm marine creatures.

Bamboo (the world’s fastest-growing grass) is not local (it’s usually imported from China). But if sea-freighted, bamboo grows far quicker than wood, so helps to save trees. Industrial bamboo is not the same as fresh shoots, eaten by pandas.

These bamboo alloy pencils ship from the USA, but are expected to last a lifetime. One pack includes 10 pencils (can be erased with a regular eraser, not included). These pencils don’t smudge.

Bamboo pencils are light yet hardy, and have a nice slightly woody scent. Whereas trees take decades to grow and harvest, bamboo plants are back to where they were, within weeks or months of being harvested. So have a far lower carbon footprint.

Where to Recycle Plastic Pens and Pencils

Terracycle offers a free writing instruments recycling programme, sponsored by industry. Just order a box for your office, school or community then everyone can deposit unwanted pens, pencils, highlighters, correction fluids, felt-tips pens and erasers.

You can download a poster to display near the recycling box, and all items are sent off to be made into other things (like park benches).