Investing hundreds of dollars from their own pockets each year to support their students is a time-honored tradition for teachers. It is projected that educators shell out over $820 of their own money on school supplies each year. For many educators, this yearly expenditure does take a toll. However, educators who dip into their own funds for school supplies express a sense of obligation to provide essential materials to create a welcoming and comfortable classroom environment for their students, ultimately enhancing their learning experience. Source

New school supplies contribute significantly to environmental impact, especially with the increasing plastic pollution worldwide. Thick plastic materials are commonly used in school supplies, contaminating landfills and taking hundreds of years to decompose. Earthday.org reports that two garbage trucks of plastic enter landfills every minute, emphasizing the severity of the issue. Disposing of lightly used pens or intact folders worsens the ecosystem destruction. Ciel.org highlights that 99% of plastic is derived from fossil fuel chemicals, adding to landfill and air pollution. Source