This is a guest post by ACE Field Correspondent Jenny Wolan, senior at Dundee Crown High School in Algonquin, Illinois.

This year, students and parents will spend more than 68.8 billion dollars on back to school shopping. So if you’re going to spend so much money on shopping, why not spend your money wisely in an eco-friendly way?

Spending Saturdays shopping in Sears, Wal-mart or even Hollister for your perfect back to school outfit would be so much more creative if you went to a thrift store instead! Goodwill and your community thrift stores have so many different styles and creative clothes that can take hours of fun with your friends. Buying outfits from a thrift store is unique and stretches creativity! Not to mention the cost is extremely inexpensive and  you’ll have more money for a fancy dinner afterwards instead.

Not only will you refrain from giving corporations your money so they can waste a ton of gas polluting the air from receiving sweatshop made clothes from across the globe but you will also be saving women in poor countries from receiving miserable wages that they can never progress out of.

Thrift stores obtain their clothes from donations from the community, then are sold for profit in the store. This practice not only reduces waste from throwing out old clothes but also helps the community with being able to acquire them with jobs. They also benefit the consumer with inexpensive and good fashioned clothing.

Becoming a thrift shopper will boost creativity and the style of your outfit. Don’t let corporations “brand” you with their logos! Shop smart and eco-friendly this year with your back to school outfits at your local thrift stores.