I just got back from a walk in the park. It was a beautiful day and the walk was lovely, but I was a bit dismayed to see litter on the ground - especially plastic litter. That's because plastic typically takes so long to decompose that the trash will be around for a long time, perhaps posing some danger to animals and certainly making the environment less attractive.
That's why I was happy to see these new biodegradable pens from Paper Mate. I'm not encouraging anyone to litter, but it's heartening to know that if someone does leave this pen in the great outdoors, at least the body of these pens is made from a corn-based material that can biodegrade in soil or compose within about one year (according to the manufacturer).
Even better, the pens come in recyclable paper packaging. And on the back of the package is a handy diagram showing how to disassemble the pen when it reaches the end of its useful life, which components should go in the trash and which can be composted.
It's not often that you buy a product that specifically asks you to 'dispose of these in yard soil or home compost', but that's the advice here from the manufacturer.
Plus it's nice to know that the pen's packaging is made from a renewable resource (corn) rather than from a petroleum base.
FYI, Paper Mate also makes a nifty biodegradable pencil.
In terms of quality, I have to say that I think these pens and pencils are very comfortable to hold and seem well built. They're also affordable and attractive. In my opinion, the writing quality is even better than a more expensive (non-biodegradable) Parker pen that I bought recently.
Bravo to Paper Mate. I'd say this is a Green home run.
Where to Buy:
Amazon.com sells 4-packs of the Paper Mate Biodegradable Pens for $6.99. You can also get a 2-pack for $3.59.
As for the mechanical pencils, you can find a 2-pack of those for $5.99 at Office Depot.
Disclaimer - Paper Mate gave me some biodegradable pens and pencils to review.
