No matter how hard you may try to keep cheap plastic junk out of your house and toy boxes it often still manages to sneak in. In this age of mass produced, cheap and disposable objects, the value of goods is often not considered.

Shops sell packs of little plastic trinkets very cheap. You can buy 6 low quality toy cars for the price of one quality metal car for example. Great you might think! More stuff and if one breaks there is always 5 others. But that 1 strong metal car will more than likely outlast the 6 cheap low quality cars. Where do the cheap cars end up? They are unlikely to be recycled, unlikely to be bought by someone else and reused, most likely to be thrown out with the garbage and end up languishing in landfill with all the other millions of low quality, disposable, broken toys.

 Not only are these toys often a waste of money but there are other more serious problems that are associated with low quality and synthetic goods.  There are serious health risks associated with them.  Many of us are very lucky to be blessed with more than one child.  This younger child more often than not plays with the same toys as the older sibling.  Depending on the developmental age of the child, he or she will play with the toys completely differently.  Sucking, chewing, biting and throwing these toys could have very dangerous consequences.  From choking on small parts that may break off, to contamination from lead or other toxic chemicals found in paint and decorations.  

Increasingly talked about in the media are the risks of chemical ingestion from the actual compounds that make up plastic toys.  Chemicals that are involved in the plastic process such as Phthalates that make plastic bendable are a very hot topic because of the possible health hazards associated.  The chemicals have been linked to hormone disruption, reproductive problems, allergies and asthma.

To read more about this issue, one informative site is  www.environmentcalifornia.org/environmental-health/stop-toxic-toys/chemicals-in-baby-products

But one of the biggest issues associated with the cheap & disposable lifestyle is featured in this 20 minute animated clip that EVERYBODY should watch.  As consumers we need to be aware of the true costs of our purchasing habits. Only then can we really appreciate the value of the products that we own. 

www.storyofstuff.com

We are really excited to have this excellent range of birthday cards and wrapping paper from Earth Greetings.  Here are the top ten reasons why we love them so much …

1.They don’t wrap each card in wasteful plastic.

2. All the products are made from 100% post-consumer waste paper and are not chlorine bleached.

3. The printing is done with vegetable based inks that don’t emit toxic VOCs.

4. Are made in environmentally certified mills.

5. They recycle or reuse all their waste.

6. The cards and wrap are made in an energy efficient process.

7. They run a carbon neutral office.

8.  They keep their packaging to a minimum.

9. Water use is kept to a minimum.

10.  The envelopes are made from 50% recycled beer labels and 50% FSC certified fibre!

What more could you want in a birthday card, gift tag, or wrapping paper?

Earth Greetings have produced a line exclusively for children.  There are 6 different designs to choose from as well as 2 other styles just to welcome that special new addition to someones family.