Understanding "Green" Toys:

What do "green" toys mean to the environment and to child safety

by Daniel Sean Kaye

What are “green toys”? It’s a phrase we’ve all heard so much lately, especially with the mainstream toy crisis of last year. The definition is still a little fuzzy, but, generally, toys are considered “green” if: they are manufactured from reused, recycled materials; are powered or manufactured by an alternative fuel source; are the result of fair trade cooperatives (where the people who physically make the toys are paid a fair wage and live in adequate conditions); and are nontoxic.

The main reason why some of these definitions are still under development is that questions have surfaced as to the validity of the descriptions. How much recycled, post-consumer product is part of the item’s make-up? Are fossil fuels being used in any stage of the item’s creation? What is a truly “fair wage” and how can we be certain the workers are receiving that pay? Is the “nontoxic” nature of the item 100 percent verifiable?

In support of these new Earth-friendly items, there are environmental experts who have embraced the “greening” of American toys with definitions of their own. For example, on his Web site, Josh Dorfman, the host of the live, daily radio program “The Lazy Environmentalist,” describes these items as “well-designed, quality toys that help foster environmental awareness, that are healthier for them and our global environment…”

Co-op America, a 25-year-old not-for-profit organization working to create a “socially just and environmentally sustainable society,” describes “green” businesses as ones that “operate in ways that solve, rather than cause, both environmental and social problems. These businesses adopt principles, policies, and practices that improve the quality of life for their customers, their employees, communities, and the environment.” Toys made under these guidelines are considered “green.”

www.SafeGreenToys.org is a special section of Co-op America’s Web site that introduces visitors to toys created by 10 members of Co-op America’s Green Business Network, billed as “the largest network of socially and environmentally responsible businesses.” The products spotlighted – and the firms that created them – have been screened to make sure they conform to strict environmental, fair trade, and product safety practices.

According to Denise Hamler, director of Co-op America Green Business Network, the lead problem of last year is not limited to just a few manufacturers. “As the race to the bottom continues to shift more of the supply chain overseas, with very little supervision from parent companies,” Hamler writes, “consumers need to be aware of the hazards to people and the planet posed by loose manufacturing standards. Co-op America wants concerned consumers to know that there are safe, green alternatives when it comes to toys.”

The 10 toys and toymakers featured at www.SafeGreenToys.org are: A solar-powered house, made by GAIAM (www.gaiam.com); sports balls by Fair Trade (www.fairtradesports.com); wooden trains by Maple Landmark (www.maplelandmark.com); wooden walking toys on strings by North Star Toys (www.northstartoys.com); lavender-filled stuffed animals by Kate’s Caring Gifts (www.katescaringgifts.com); lamb and bunny towel dolls by Peapod (www.peapods.com); Blue Rainforest Monkeys by the Global Exchange online store (store.gxonlinestore.org); board games by Family Pastimes (www.kidbean.com); Bamboo xylophone by Ten Thousand Villages (www.tenthousandvillages.com); and doll clothes by Terra Experience (www.terraexperience.com).

Many of today’s “green” products are handmade from solid wood, rather than from plastics, multi-layered wood (held together by toxic glues), or chemically-treated wood. Toy products made from this sort of wood became very popular during the lead paint scare, because they offered an alternative to mass market products manufactured overseas. Wood products, especially the unfinished items made of solid wood, are considered very safe. Wood is, after all, can only be naturally created. Wood products that are “finished” typically use natural nontoxic oils (such as vegetable, linseed, and walnut) because these finishes are believed to be safe for children to use, especially for children who may bite or chew the toys.

While the woodworking industry has embraced these nontoxic finishes, it is always smart to make certain the finish used is safe. Find out if it is nontoxic either by searching the product’s label or by talking directly to the toymaker. I should note that a toymaker I spoke to recently mentioned that if your child has any sort of nut allergy, it’s best to know exactly what kind of finish was used because some can irritate these allergies.

Making the world a more environmentally sensitive place is a great idea and one that seems powerfully underway. By using organic materials to create toys, manufacturers are working to make the child’s safety a paramount concern. Using these materials, however, is time-consuming and, because the products are often handmade, increases the cost of the final toy. The question is, will we, as consumers, spend the extra money for items made specifically to increase child safety or will cost become a factor, sending us back to mass market toys that may end up on this year’s recall lists?