Well, it was inevitable, the original material girl herself has gone green...kind of. Toy giant Mattel, no doubt hoping on the green bandwagon, has launched a program recycling the excess scraps of doll clothing left on their factory floors. They plan on turning these once landfill bound remnants into patch- work accessories for eco-conscious children. Of course, the actual doll will remain a very earth-unfriendly PVC and all that colorful packaging, perfect for catching the attention of 6-year-olds, is later discarded and rarely recycled.
This makes me soooo smoldering mad that I wanted to get some other opinions. Am I alone here in being disgusted with the "greenwashing" of America? Should I get over myself and pat Mattel on the back for at least making some effort? It seems to me that they are making a quick buck and using our concern for the planet to do it. If Mattel really wanted to make a difference why not reduce their insane amount of packaging or make the dolls out of a bio-degradable product? Okay, I'm getting down off my high horse. What do you think???
I think that anything that is good for the environemnt no matter how selfish is really good in the long run. I hope other companies take this as an example and implement their own changes.
Posted by: Kimberely | July 09, 2008 at 06:00 PM
I think/hope that people see through the lameness of such actions. I agree with the above poster though that anything is better than nothing.
Posted by: Claire | July 10, 2008 at 08:21 AM
Agree with the above. Every lousy little bit is a beginning. Of course they'd better start using sustainable fabrics too, but the fact that consumers still buy these toys and then throw them out when the kid doesn't play with them anymore hurts me more. I have a collection of 14 curb found dolls to prove how conscious people in my country really are. It's disappointing. Both consumers and producers have a responsibility, if we keep waiting for each other nothing happens.
Posted by: Le-Chat | July 10, 2008 at 09:38 AM
Yeah, I feel the same way. Although, I wouldn't buy those products until they changed the original.
Posted by: Adam | July 10, 2008 at 01:42 PM
I can see all of your positions but I personally think they are just muddying up the cause and actually creating one more product in the world. Why not just modify the one that they have?
Posted by: Samantha Jane | July 10, 2008 at 10:49 PM
Come on! I don't understand all of this complaining about greenwashing! Are you kidding me?? This is what we need for EVERYONE to start consciously considering their impact on the environment...it is a GOOD THING. No matter how small! If we are going to turn things around on this planet we need the corporations doing their part too. And to have it start with little girls thinking about the environment with their toys, that makes perfect sense. I say get off your high horse and see how we are all in this together and every bit counts!
I just love how some people that are so called Green can be so identified with this label. What are you threatened because you were doing it long before others and now it is finally reaching critical mass and your holier than thou position is being threatened? Take a long look in the mirror. Remember there was a time in your life that you weren't always making the same choices. Everyone comes to this awareness at different times!
It reminds me of former smokers and alcoholics, with a touch of new born again Christians thrown in with their judgement...and forgetting the path they took to get where they are!
Arrrgggghhh!
Posted by: Dawn | July 12, 2008 at 01:42 PM