Price and quality of toys are two fundamental factors to consider when buying a Christmas toy. However, a third factor must be considered when choosing: the environmental effects of each.
Along these lines, the Foundation of Sustainable Production and Consumption of Foundation Chile analyzed the environmental impact of two highly purchased products for Christmas: a wooden toy car and a plastic one. To know the benefits of why wooden toys are best then the plastic toys visit to poppybabyco.
The analysis considered from the extraction of raw materials to the manufacture of a toy car that is, until the product leaves the company where it was manufactured, taking into account the different processes and inputs used, for example, energy, water, wood, plastic, etc.
The plastic car had a greater impact than the wooden car. In the analysis, 16 impact categories such as climate change, water stress, and human toxicity were evaluated, among others.
“At present, information regarding the environmental impacts of products is still in the initial phase, for example, with the existence of some labels on products associated with their carbon footprint or water use, but there is still an important path to go, ”said Michelle Superman and Mariana Aguirre, of the Center for Sustainable Production and Consumption of Foundation Chile.
In the analysis, 16 impact categories were evaluated, where for 15 of these, such as climate change, water stress, human toxicity, among others, the plastic car presented a greater impact than that of wood.
The only exception to this is the impact of agricultural land use, which corresponds to land use for a certain period of time, which, for example, can have adverse effects on biodiversity. This issue is important in the forestry industry for the production of wood, unlike plastic that does not need more land extensions.
According to the experts, the study does not consider the transport of raw materials, where plastic is probably produced in distant countries, such as China, unlike the wood that can be produced in Chile. This would further increase the impact of the plastic car. “On the other hand, the useful life of the wooden car is usually higher than that of plastic, which also makes the impact differences between one product and another more drastic, also highlighting the importance of durable gifts, which hopefully they can pass from generation to generation, ”they added.
“Environmental issues are of great importance and it is essential that both this generation and the next generation be aware of how their decisions affect the world, which can be learned at a very young age and with small gestures, such as making conscious Christmas gifts or simply enjoying in family, ”said Michelle and Mariana.