Advertising toys to children is an environmental nightmare – here’s how parents can deal with it
Michelle Cowley-Cunningham, Chartered Psychologist and Postdoctoral Researcher at the National Centre for Family Business, Dublin City University
As Christmas approaches, many children experience the “gimme-gimmes” and write a list of toys that they hope Santa will bring. This is to be expected. Toys give children a chance to learn and be curious, engage their imaginations in play and become socialised with others.
Unfortunately, 80% of all toys end up in landfills, incinerators or the ocean. The toy industry uses 40 tonnes of plastic for every US$1 million it generates in revenue and has an excessive carbon footprint.
Toys may...