Toying With our environment

For today’s 50th anniversary of Earth Day, I’m including a reprint of a column I wrote back in 2011 that appeared in my weekly column, “Everyday Earth Wise.” This was originally published in my column for the April 8, 2011 issue of the Peace Country Sun (a Sun publication).

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handmade wooden toy with moveable parts — made by a talented elderly gentleman; sold at a farmer’s market

Toying With our Environment
© Diane M Schuller, All Rights Reserved.

 

There isn’t a parent, aunt, or grandparent who hasn’t bought a toy in an effort to please a child. We’ve all done it, although some also overdo it. The problem is, besides all the unnecessary stuff, most of the toys we purchase are loaded with a range of toxins that we really don’t want our children playing with.

I’m sure most of us have heard the litany of news stories in the past few years about toys recalled or found to contain high levels of lead and cadmium. We also know the country from where nearly all of those originate. In addition to avoiding any toys made in China, nearly all dolls and boys’ action figures are made from PVC, considered to be the worst of all the plastics. They too may also contain cadmium stabilizers and lead so we need to re-think what types of toys we buy and expose our children to.

Don’t forget that infants and young children tend to chew or suck on toys, therefore ingesting those hormone-disrupting or otherwise carcinogenic phthalates, along with the lead and or cadmium. Sure, it may be a small amount if done once, but kids are exposed to and play with these things daily. Don’t forget that many children also sleep with some of their favourite toys. Those stuffed toys are not immune from harmful toxins either. Most are stuffed with petroleum-based fillers. The fluffy exteriors are then coated with toxic fire retardants.

Let me share something with you that I experienced recently. I very seldom ever go shopping and have not been near a store, other than groceries, since before Christmas sometime. The other day, I needed to go to the mall to buy a unique type of battery for my electronic air card. As I walked past the doorways of certain stores, I was shocked at the strong smell of chemicals. By the time I left the mall, I had a headache from the chemicals. Walk into a toy store or down the toy isles of any department store and tell me you don’t smell the chemicals. There are few things we buy that are not made from synthetics and/or are coated with harmful toxins. So what are we to do?

It’s true that earth-conscious toys are not easily found in local malls, but there is a way to find safer toys for the children in our lives. In terms of toys, here are a few solutions to avoid buying those plastic, PVC, and toxic-laden toys:

• Avoid toys made in China.
• Look for toys clearly labelled as “PVC- and phthalate-free”. (Lego, Brio toys, and most IKEA toys are PVC-free.)
• Buy stuffed toys made with pure natural fibres such as wool batting, recycled fabrics, bamboo or hemp, and organic cotton for instance. (Many sellers on Etsy.com make toys using recycled or all-natural fibres.)
• Buy wood toys but be sure the paint is lead- and cadmium-free. There are local craftspeople still making wood toys, so try them first.
• Make your own dolls and toys from fabrics and items you recycle in your own home.
• More and more independent stores are opening up to provide earth-friendly products. For instance, if a store exists to sell earth-friendly baby diapers you’ll also likely find earth-friendly toys for infants by those vendors. Check them out.
• Ten Thousand Villages carries several options for children’s toys. For example, you can buy Peruvian made cloth dolls, wood puzzles, stuffed baby mobiles, kites, and other unique items.
• The local farmer’s market is another place to check out the various crafts people who make items right in our own backyards.
• When local organizations and church groups have their annual bazaar or craft show, there will be a wide range of offerings that are both safe and unique.

Something else that I’m a strong proponent of, is reducing our urge to constantly buy stuff and that includes unnecessary toys. We can teach by example showing that buying less is more. Rather than reward with toys, reward with a fun experience instead. The problem with always buying an endless amount of toys (and other miscellaneous stuff) is that our planet really does not do well with all the extraction of resources (usually fuels), the chemical pollution, and then the clogging of our landfills once we dispose of each item.

That leads to one last point about all the toys that kids have grown bored from. Rather than sending them to the landfill, wash them, and pass them on. Take them to a local thrift store or Goodwill, or see if your sibling’s children might like them.

Sure, I realize most people won’t stop showering their kids with toys, but the more you make an effort to spend your hard earned money on safe and earth-friendly choices, the less demand there will also be for manufacturers to make those unsafe choices.

Toy around with an earth-friendly toy.