If you’re regularly scribbling down notes on paper, you might be wondering whether you should be grabbing a pen or a pencil. Which of these tools is better for the environment?
There’s no simple answer to this question because it depends on a lot of different factors. A refillable pen will pretty much always beat a disposable pen or pencil. A disposable pen may last longer than a disposable pencil, but it’s not eco-friendly in terms of its creation or disposal. None of the tools are perfect, but reusable pencils are often the best option.
There may not be an easy answer to the question of whether pens or pencils are more eco-friendly, but we’re going to look at some of the top factors in this article, so you can make the best decisions possible when purchasing your stationery.
Are Pens Or Pencils More Eco-Friendly?
This is a question a lot of people are asking at the moment, but it’s not a straightforward one. Part of the problem is that there are so many different kinds of pens and pencils, it can be hard to compare them. The most important factor is reusability as this has an enormous impact on how eco-friendly something is.
We’re going to look at:
- Disposable pencils vs disposable pens
- Reusable pencils vs reusable pens
Hopefully, this will help you to determine which tool would be the best for you.
Are Disposable Pencils More Eco-Friendly Than Disposable Pens?
On the surface, a pencil might look more eco-friendly than a disposable pen, or possibly even a refillable pen. Most pencils are made using wood, which is a biodegradable and renewable resource (when forests are managed correctly). They do contain graphite, which has to be mined, but there’s only a fairly small amount in each pencil.
A pencil tends to be more sustainable, provided that it comes from sustainably harvested trees. Most of the materials can be renewed. Graphite is usually acquired using open-pit mining. This technique is not as damaging as underground mining, although it does still cause environmental issues.
Pens, of course, are dependent on the oil industry, because they are almost invariably made of plastic. Although there are some recycled options out there, almost all pens are currently made using virgin plastic, and the damage that the oil industry is doing to the planet is well-documented.
Pens also require ink to work, and ink is not currently considered eco-friendly, because it contains so many different chemicals. There are better and worse options, but the overall consensus is that ink has a long way to go before it can be considered a carbon-neutral resource.
Overall, a disposable pencil is better than a disposable pen.
Are Reusable Pencils More Eco-Friendly Than Reusable Pens?
Before we start comparing these two, it’s worth noting that a reusable tool is almost always going to be better than a disposable tool. Reusables sometimes require more resources to make, but this is quickly offset by their longevity and the fact it doesn’t go into a landfill for many years.
The comparison isn’t always easy, since reusable pencils are made of plastic, not wood – instantly making them less eco-friendly – but if you measure all the factors, including production and shipping costs, reusables will almost invariably be the best option. With that in mind, let’s look at reusable pencils vs reusable pens.
There are two things to consider here. The first is what the instrument is made of, and the second is what refills it requires. Refillable pencils tend to be made of plastic, while refillable pens may be plastic or metal. Since a metal pen can be recycled when it reaches the end of its life, it may be a preferable material.
In terms of refills, the reusable pencil generally wins. It still requires graphite, and unlike traditional pencils, it requires plastic to wrap around the graphite stick and make it stronger (in most cases). However, the amount of plastic used is small, and the graphite is unlikely to be worse to manufacture than the inks that the pen needs.
Refillable pens can vary in terms of the materials they require, but they will almost all use plastic cartridges (unless you are refilling from a glass bottle) and inks. The cartridges will use more plastic than the graphite’s plastic wrap. The inks are again likely to contain harsh chemicals, although some eco-friendly options are gradually becoming available.
Overall, writing tools require you to make some environmental compromises, but reusable pencils are the better option, in spite of their plastic casing.
Conclusion
In most cases, pencils – both reusable and disposable – are considered more eco-friendly than pens. They may not last as long, but disposables can depend upon primarily renewable resources, and reusables only need a small amount of plastic to stabilize the graphite. When you have the option, always choose renewables instead of disposables.
