Dear Eco-Monkey >> I’ve been back-to-school shopping for my third- and sixth-graders, and I’m wondering if you have tips for cutting back on all the stuff. It’s just so much waste.

Thanks, Melissa

Dear Melissa >> The school scene can be wasteful — from trashed food scraps to single-use plastics for tiny, single-serve portions of food — but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are a few simple ways to cut down on both waste and costs this school year:

Shop at home — and swap with friends or neighbors — first.

Before buying new supplies, check what’s left from last year. Lightly used notebooks could have old pages ripped out and recycled, and usable folders, pencils and pens often get overlooked. Consider hosting a family, neighborhood or workplace supplies swap to trade extras — an easy way to share, save, and reduce waste!

Buy secondhand, and donate usable things you don’t need.

Kids grow so fast, and buying new every year adds up. Local thrift stores, online resale platforms such as Poshmark and ThredUp, and local “buy nothing” groups often have gently used clothes, backpacks, notebooks, and even calculators. When your kids outgrow their supplies, donate them to keep the cycle going.

Label everything.

A name on each item helps prevent loss. One of the best Zero Waste strategies is simply hanging on to what you already own.

Pack Zero Waste lunches and snacks.

Lunch boxes are a prime spot for sustainable swaps. Skip single-wrapped snacks (cheese sticks, granola bars, squeezable yogurts and drink pouches) for bulk purchases or homemade options packed in reusable containers — they’re healthier and create less waste. Pack lunch boxes with reusable foodware such as cutlery, sandwich wraps (beeswax wraps, fabric, or metal containers), water bottles, napkins, and reusable straws (skip glass for school). And if your school doesn’t compost, provide a bag in your kiddo’s lunch box to bring food scraps home.

Good news: If your kids attend an Eco-Cycle Green Star School — a program that includes most of the Boulder County public schools and is extending into Broomfield, Weld, and Jefferson Counties — they’re already part of a program that supports schools in recycling and composting about two-thirds of their waste! Eco-Cycle’s team of educators visits classrooms and cafeterias to help students and staff recycle, compost, and reduce waste even further. Learn more about the program at ecocycle.org/schools.

Keep experimenting.

Once the basics feel easy, try new swaps or habits. Zero Waste is a lifelong journey — and our kids are often the best teachers!

Here’s to a new school year with less plastic and less waste!

— Eco-Monkey

— Send your Zero Waste questions to recycle@ecocycle.org or call 303-444-6634.