When you’re worried about all the recalls, and how it affects the toys you buy your wee ones, make sure you check out the handmade toy companies. One of these companies is Earth Friendly LLC.
They feature safe organic toys from renewable resources. In 2008 Earth Friendly was chosen by MAYA to exclusively distribute their products in the US. Most of these toys are very affordable, and retail from $8 to 22.
From the company:
The nonprofit Maya Organic Collective (MAYA), created 1989, has provided a livelihood for workers throughout India, while ensuring that the children of these artisans were educated, …read more

Hat tip to Peggy at Tree Hugging Family for posting about the new Sprig toys that deliver electronic-like features such as lights and sounds without batteries.  Of course, no batteries is very eco-friendly, but most parents will also agree that toys that don’t require batteries are simply great!  First, batteries are too expensive and die too quickly!  I love the idea of toys that simulate battery-operated without batteries!
Sprig toys are also made from recycled materials and include no decorative paint (that means no lead paint problems).  The toys use a push-and-pump play action for power.  Here are some details from …read more

Earth Day is later this month, so I thought it would be appropriate to highlight a cool environmentally friendly toy.  A Google search for “eco-friendly toys” brings up a myriad of results, but Earthopoly caught my attention for a few reasons. 
First, I love that a classic toy has been recreated into an eco-friendly version.  Second, I think the Earthopoly version of Monopoly adds even more educational elements into the classic board game than the original version has.  For example, the original version teaches children about money and investing, but the Earthopoly version also teaches them about the world as they …read more

So, I mentioned awhile back that, as a family, we’re trying to think and act a bit more eco-friendly in our home. We’ve made some big strides in composting and recycling, and a bit better in just buying less stuff (never a bad thing, I think!). The kids love helping to figure out what can and can’t go in the compost bowl, and trips to the recycling bin are coveted “helper” roles for all the kids—even the 2 year old! Very fun.
A b5media blog that I’ve been enjoying recently is Tree Hugging Family written by Jennifer Chait. …read more

I came across this site for SEE Toys (I can’t even remember how that happened, now), and I thought it was an interesting thought toward more earth-friendly toy production. Here’s a quote from their website:
The See Toys are green, environmentally friendly, electronic toys that never need batteries! They feature a power crank that makes fun, authentic sounds that encourage kids to keep powering up the fun!
For some reason, I can’t see to capture an image here for you to see, so you’ll just have to go check out the toys for yourself. But what I want to …read more

While I’d love to say that I’m way ahead of the whole environmentally aware, eco-friendly attitude, the truth is that I’m really just now being more deliberate toward that lifestyle. We’ve been recyclers for years, and the lights are usually turned off when we leave a room, though not always. Recently, though, I’ve really started to be aware about the products that we bring into our home and the impact that our choices might have on future generations.
In relation to all of that, I found this article sharing the vision and plans of a new company, Green Toys, …read more