The children are back at school and how many of us STILL love new stationary and goodies for our desks even though our school days are a dim and distant memory?

Well if you’re thinking of greening up your home office then I’ve been searching the net for some eco friendly and more sustainable items.

1- I love the water powered calculator from Nigel’s Eco store. It contains a water reservoir that you fill up and you should be able to calculate, without the use of batteries, for a good 2 - 3 months, before you need to refill. It’s the natural way to do maths!

2- Saving paper is big news, so why not get some envelope recycling labels from ecocentric? You get a box of 100 labels in a cardboard box which mean you can re-use all envelopes that come into your home. Ecocentric stock some beautiful, ethical goods and each label carries the message “Every envelope should have another journey”.

3- Recently, someone asked me if it was better to use paper clips or a stapler. Neither, I replied! If you have just three or less sheets of paper to fix together, then a stapleless stapler is the answer. You can get a stylish metal one from Natural Collection. It’s much more self sufficient than relying on metal clips and staples.

4- I’ve been road testing the remarkable biros which are made from old car parts. And guess what? They are excellent. I was a bit dubious and yes, a nice fountain pen is much more eco friendly (I still have two from school!) but in a busy office, you just need to be able to grab a handy biro.

The remarkable notepads are superb quality too. With recycled paper and covers made from old polystyrene cups or juice cartons. They really brighten up your desk.

5- Finally, I’ve found a  gorgeous desk tidy, which is made in India from sustainable rubber wood. It’s available from Tearcraft, so is fairly traded. Tearcraft exists to skilled craftspeople from some of the world’s poorest communities.

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