I had the best of intentions when I started out with a dry erase board for my husband’s job. Sometimes he needs to plan out what he’s working on so I created a whiteboard since that is what he uses at work. Read RETHINK: Dry Erase Boards & Picture Frames.
I first found these Pilot V Board markers at my local Staples and was determined we were going to use them with his white board. At the time I originally tried these, Crayola had its marker take back program (canceled during COVID and not resumed) and TerraCycle has a couple of programs that take markers back for recycling but at $44 for the Pens, Pencils and Markers – Zero Waste Pouch, or $119.70 for the Office Supplies – Zero Waste Box™, I’m not buying one.
On Amazon today you can get the 5 pack of different colors for $8.88, which is $1.78 per marker. If you’re lucky you can find a single refill. I found a green one for $4.74 today but it’s not shipped by Amazon and would take 8 days to arrive. Typically you have to buy a pack of refills, usually a dozen or 12 refills in one color.
Pros:
– Refillable which in theory is greener than brand new each time as it will use less plastic/materials overall.
– You can refill the colors you use the most and only what you want.
Cons:
– You have to buy this at an office store, like Office Depot. They’re not at Target or HEB, my local grocery store. I don’t shop at Walmart so I’m not sure if they sell them. Staples closed a lot of stores, at least in Central Texas so I’m not sure that’s an option anymore for anyone, plus they tended to cost more than Office Depot or Office Max.
– You have to order the refills as the office stores usually don’t carry them. Why do stores do that? Why carry a refillable product and not the refills? That is so annoying and defeats the green purpose, but I suppose they get more money making people buy a whole new pen.
– Refills tend to come in large batches in one color. I’d prefer one of each color or it easier to get one color. That being said,
– These aren’t as solid of a color as other dry erase makers, they’re weaker so they won’t show up further away. So they’re not worth it as a comparison to Expo or even off-brand dry erase markers.
So my takeaway is don’t bother. I’m considering it a greenwashing product. It’s too difficult to find refills and there is no cost-effective or time-effective way to recycle the parts anyway. We’ll stick with chalk or paper and refillable mechanical pencils.
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RETHINK: Dry Erase Boards & Picture Frames
#markers #schoolmarkers #schoolsupplies #officesupplies #refillable #greenwashing #notconvenient