Making pencils from trees is not cool. According to Worldwatch Institute, pencil wood production has depleted forest reserves, contaminated waterways, and polluted the air. Herbicides are often sprayed over the forest to kill plants that compete with saplings.

To help put an end to this environmental disaster, Oregon based TreeSmart makes pencils from 100% recycled newspaper. The company perfected a process that essentially turns the newspaper back into wood, fit to make solid pencils. Treesmart products include recycled newpaper pencils, colored pencils, and recycled rulers.

TreeSmart teaches about recycling in school classrooms and offers a fundraising program that supplies schools with custom printed recycled newspaper pencils, for a low cost, in exchange for newspapers that the schools collect. Made in the USA.

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