The death of a marker is a common tragedy in any family household or classroom. However, one Instagrammer's post could change the fates of dried markers around the world.
The scoop
Parenting hack expert Myriam Sandler (@mothercould) shared her "LIFE CHANGING hack," saying, "I'm pretty sure I threw away a gazillion markers before I learned this trick."
The video demonstrates the incredible way to resurrect dried-up markers. Even more incredible: All you need is water.
"Just add a little water to the cap, stand it up for a few hours, and there you go. Back to normal," she explains.
It's so easy, it makes you wonder how you didn't come up with it yourself.
How it's helping
There is no denying kids are expensive. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of school supplies has increased in the last two years by almost 24%.
Using hacks like the one above to lengthen the life of things you purchase is a huge money saver since there's no need to buy replacements.
It also saves you another trip to the store, which reduces gas pollution and saves you time — arguably the most precious commodity there is.
Most markers aren't made to last. Duke University's The Chronicle reported that 400 million markers are thrown out every year. Fortunately, companies such as AusPen and Loka are trying to change that.
The majority of markers are made of mixed plastics, which has created a challenge for popular brands such as Crayola to find solutions to keep their products out of our landfills.
According to a study by Greenpeace USA, only about 5% of plastic gets recycled in America. That is partly because of the strict guidelines of recycling companies.
Knowing what goes where and how can be a bit overwhelming. Luckily, there are tons of resources on how to recycle. There are also online services available so you can look up your city's or town's recycling guidelines since they can vary by region.
What everyone's saying
There was no shortage of appreciation for the hack.
One follower raved, "As a teacher and a mom this is amazing."
"You just saved me money, thank you!" another said.
"To all the markers I could have saved!" a third declared.
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