Living Green
Writing Green
These days most of us spend more time tapping on computer keys than pushing a pen-- but the pen is getting an eco-makeover. Will these new pens tempt you to turn of your computer and get back to writing the old-fashioned way?
If you're like many families you probably have a drawer or box in your house that is stuffed with pens and pencils. But once thrown away these writing tools end up in a landfill where they will sit-- possibly for decades.
But now you can buy pens and even mechanicial pencils that can breakdown in your own backyard. Paper Mate® has introduced a line of writing utensils with a majority of biodegradable parts. 
The biodegradable components of the Paper Mate Biodegradable products are made from plant-derived sugar, a renewable resource. According to the company, once the biodegradable components are disassembled and placed in soil or home compost, they naturally decompose in about a year, producing less waste and more compost.
But you can't just throw the entire pen or pencil into your yard. The insides of the pen or pencil (ink cartridge, spring and grip) are NOT biodegradable. There are disassembly instructions on the packaging, which by the way, is 100% PVC-free recyclable material.
"It may seem like a small step, but when you consider that nearly 12 million writing instruments* are sold in the U.S. each year, the impact can be considerable," said Kanan Banerjee of Paper Mate.
"Think Before You Write," is the slogan of another biodegradable pen on the market, the DBA Pen. Made from potato based plastic, the DBA Pen is manufactued in the USA using wind power. According to the company, this pen is 98% biodegradable. The ink is also non-toxic and composed of environmentally responsible ingredients.
* Writing Instruments Manufacturers Association, 2007
