Eco-friendly back to school supplies for your return to college

It's not easy being green, but it's getting simpler. As college campuses make the move toward clean-burning fuels and alternative energy sources, students are joining in the movement. As the future of society and a bastion of the planet, the current generation of college students are taking global warming seriously. While not everyone can contribute thousands of dollars to clean energy or invest in an electric car, there are small steps college students can take, and one of those is outfitting themselves with green supplies for school.

If you're a student looking for green college supply options - or the parent of an eco-conscious student - look no further than this list of earth-friendly options.

1. Energy-efficient computers. A number of desktop and laptop computers, from Macs to PCs, are energy-efficient these days, but some are certainly more efficient than others. Check out and compare stats before you take the plunge on your machine.

2. BPA-free water bottles and travel mugs. It seems pretty clear that Bisphenol A (BPA) isn't great for you, and since it was once ubiquitous in plastic water bottles, you'll want to pick up something a bit healthier. Stainless steel is a good-looking choice.

3. Green cleaning and laundry products. Believe it or not, dorm rooms will need cleaning - a lot of it. Eco-friendly cleaners and detergents are readily available at most department stores and work just as well without all the chemicals.

4. Organic toiletries. Avoid using chemical-packed or animal-tested toiletry products. Check ingredient lists on everything from shaving cream to toothpaste and shampoo. Supporting organic and green retailers and companies is a great way to give the environment a hand.

5. Recycled paper. From notebooks to Post-its, the recycled paper options are thankfully plentiful in this digital age. Despite the ubiquity of tablets and laptops in classrooms, students still rely primarily on pen and paper to get their notes down and sketch out papers - not to mention tagging notes to each other's doors or desks!

Just a glimpse at the price tag of a recycled notepad compared to the store brand can be enough to make the most tree hugging of minds waver for a moment. Green supplies isn't cheap, which is yet another reason students should seek out scholarship opportunities to give them a financial hand during their four years at school.

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