It seems silly, but you can get attached to a writing implement over time. One pencil can become so familiar to you that you feel as though it is an extension of your arm in the same way a sword would be for a warrior. Those who opt to not use a mechanical pencil are faced with the inevitable task of having to throw away the tiniest nub of a pencil.
If you don’t want to waste any of your utensil, then start using Sprout Pencils instead. These are familiar in that they are graphite pencils surrounded by wood. They sharpen the same way, and look about the same as any other. However, these have a little surprise at the end, much like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
In the very end of this pencil are three seeds for herbs that you can plant in a pot. Of course, you will have to water and provide access to sunlight for it to do anything, but it’s a nice thought to get continual use out of a pencil even when you can’t use it for its original purpose anymore. Smelling of cedar, they are sustainably harvested, and will start sprouting whenever they hit water. That being said, no chewing on the end, and try not to leave this out while it’s raining. One set of eight pencils will cost you around $33, and comes with basil, coriander, dill, mint, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Available for purchase at Firebox, found via FoolishGadgets