The kids and I feel really good about ourselves and what we are doing to give back to the environment by trying out these super cool and innovative Sprout Pencils. When you find that the100% all natural “ticonderoga” pencil is too short to continue use, simply plant it and watch what grows: organic basil, thyme, rosemary, dill, marigold, mint, forget-me-not and lavender. It is so amazing how these pencils are 100% non toxic and that you are actually writing with graphite and clay, making these pencils lead free. Their tips are actually a water activated seed! Their colored pencil options which we would love to try are made with vegetable dye and natural coloring. You can purchase these fantastic pencils in bulk, individually or in 3 or 7 packs. Such a great lesson to spread within your family; that a pencil comes from trees and then is in return brought back to the tree. Purchase options are not expensive; you can buy them for around $4.50 per pencil and save on the multipacks. For more information please visit http://www.sproutworld.com. By day, a functional instrument for your child to complete assignments with; 2-3 weeks later a sprout is born. We had great success with basil; cannot wait to try lavender up next!