November: Green Tuesday

That Green Tuesday, created by Green America, is celebrated in America on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving to support green businesses with local, green, and fair-trade purchases during the Holiday season.

Green Tuesday is a new factor to consider when purchasing for the  holidays, that can have a very positive environmental influence. For example, toys that may be on your watchlist may have more sustainable options.  This can be seen with Mattel’s release of the Barbie Loves the Ocean line of Fashion Dolls, that are made from Ocean-Bound Plastic.  The plastic used to make this collection is sourced from plastic found within 50km of waterways in areas that are lacking a formal waste system.  Things to consider this winter during Holiday shopping are companies that use playsets and packaging with 100% recycled, recyclable or bio based plastic materials can help you check all the items off your shopping list while helping you meet a more sustainable holiday list.  Examples include Fisher-Price® and MEGA Bloks®, both companies have released bio-based plastic toy options.  UNO® Nothin’ but paper has released a fully recyclable deck without cellophane packaging.   Another item to consider, when planning holiday gatherings instead of going straight for the paper plates and plastic utensils to avoid spending hours on the pile of dishes at the end of the night, you may want to consider a more sustainable option of bamboo paper plates and napkins with biobased plastic utensils, all of which are compostable.