Deck the Halls with Green This Holiday Season

I am as guilty as the next parent during the holiday season when it comes to buying toys.  

I want to get my kids something exciting and special, and see their faces light up when they get exactly what they asked for! I know my daughter wants the latest and greatest in the world of Barbie and my sons want some speed racer automobile and Lego set. However, being the environmentalist that I am, I try to combine the commercial world of toys with the eco-friendly world of toys.  

In this day and age, it is very easy to literally Google the phrase "green toys" or "eco-friendly toys" and voila: 1,000 websites will pop up. What do these phrases mean? Simple. Environmentally friendly toys are made from recycled plastic, instead of new (check out http://www.greentoys.com/).

They are also carved out of wood that has been sustainably harvested from a forest that is being monitored so it isn't over-harvested. You can find out more information about some toys like these at http://www.maplelandmark.com/.  

Another example is in the choices we make. When you want to fill your 3-year-old's play kitchen with play foods, it is easy to find a huge bin of plastic fruits and veggies at Toys R Us. But in order to think sustainably this holiday season, think less plastic. Many stores also offer wooden versions of fruits and veggies from vendors like Melissa and Doug. Also, baby dolls, marble runs and much more are now made from cloth, wood and other more sustainable materials.

One fantastic website that I shop on and that is based on Mercer Island is called Katan Children. Two educators and mothers started this site and it is filled with wonderfully crafted toys that are made from recycled and biodegradable materials that will have the least impact on our environment and are non-toxic. The toys also bring you back to an age where toys were considered heirlooms. You passed them down because they were hand-crafted and made from solid materials.

Please consider checking out any of these websites to help be a steward of our environment during this holiday season. Happy shopping!