Plushies

Sunlight filters through the open window, washing across the soft, short fur of a corgi. Laying down, the corgi stares unblinkingly ahead at the blank wall, as if waiting for something. Long gone were the days where it had been loved, and now, a thick blanket of dust had settled on its back. Before it had been kempt and colorful, and now its fur lay faded upon a shrunken frame. The very last day the corgi ever saw sunlight again started off like all the others before. Yet, as the day came to a close, it felt a familiar hand grasp it. Yet, it was not the same loving touch, instead, it had roughly grasped the tail of the corgi with a sort of detached apathy. And as sudden as the touch came, it disappeared, and the dog felt itself enveloped in darkness.

Each year, hundreds of unwanted stuffed animals are thrown away. Though some people might view this simple act as “spring cleaning”, what they don’t know is that this simple action of discarding a toy can substantially expedite global warming. A study from DePaul Discoveries in 2019 found that each kilogram of polyester can generate seven times the amount of CO2, and similarly, each kilogram of fleece can bring about over double the amount of CO2. Not only that, the study also showed that plush toys also have a staggering eutrophication potential, or a potential to spawn an algae bloom and create a dead zone.

However, there are alternative routes that we can take to stem this pollution. Next time you buy a stuffed animal, consider: How long will you really keep it? And next time, instead of throwing out your stuffed animals, donate them to a goodwill or charity.