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Why Choose Wood Over Plastic?
Plastic. A blend of cellulose, natural gas, salt, coal and its primary ingredient, crude oil. When mined, each element has its own significant impact on the environment. But when combined to create plastic, the impact on the environment is calamitous. We currently stand at the precipice of irreversible environmental change. If we do not reduce our carbon emissions by 2030, there is zero chance we can save what is left of our wonderful earth from the destruction we have already caused. But by making small changes to the way our OOSH/OSHC operate, and reducing plastic usage in favour of sustainably sourced wood, we may be able to assist in undoing the damage we have already caused.
The effects of plastic and wood on the environment after it is discarded.
It has been well documented that the biodegradability of plastic is a serious threat to the earth.
Think about this.
Every piece of plastic ever made, still exists in one form or another. And plastic has been around since the 1950s.
Every.
Single.
Piece.
And why?
Because plastic is designed to last.
Incredibly, we constructed a material that can last up to 500 years without degrading naturally. What we failed to do was think of a way to break it down without releasing harmful chemicals into our oceans, soil and atmosphere. Instead we are left to ponder alternatives to plastic usage, in the hope we can eventually see plastic as irrelevant. One such alternative is wood.
We have used wood for thousands of years and compared to plastic, its impact on the environment is miniscule. While the toothbrush you threw out today won’t biodegrade until the year 2521, wooden items will cease to exist in the next 50-100 years. And instead of releasing chemicals detrimental to a sustainable earth, it goes right back to where it started; The ground.
By using wooden items in replacement of plastic ones, your OOSH/OSHC centre will begin to help the earth recover.
The effects of plastic and wood during its manufacturing and usage.
Unfortunately, it is not just plastic’s aftermath that is toxic, but its production and usage. Toxins released into the atmosphere during its manufacturing threaten our animals, our water and our own life. It is estimated the production and burning of plastic emits an incomprehensible 850 million tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year. This makes plastic a leading contributor to global warming and rising sea levels. On top of this, plastic is often used for food and liquid storage. The chemicals used in its creation slowly leech into the substance contained within, and these chemicals are then consumed.
Think of how many times you’ve used a plastic container to store leftovers in your OOSH/OSHC centre. Think of all the cling wrap you’ve used. Think of all the plastic toys in your centre and how in 500 years time, they will have either been burned some time before, releasing an array of toxins into the air, or buried in the ground, finally releasing the last of their poisons into the soil. By using toys and tools made from wood, there are no such chemicals released.
In fact, wood traps carbon in a process called carbon sequestration, taking the harmful carbon out of the atmosphere and storing it inside your tables, stools and other wooden products. Looking towards the future, we at Craft Crate highly recommend utilising wood as an alternative material to plastic in as many functionalities as possible within the confines of your centre.
Plastic versus wood and the benefits for children.
Aside from the environmental impact of plastic as opposed to wood, there is also a creative element. The majority of plastic toys produced today provide a basic means for children to be imaginative and explore concepts otherwise foreign to them.
While we encourage all forms of imaginative play, toys made from wood offer a far more substantial range of creative expression that may be exploited by children in your OOSH/OSHC centre. For example, plastic cannot be drawn on or coloured in.
All products offered at Craft Crate are able to be personalised in order for children to build confident self-identities. We firmly believe children do not need toys designed for one sole purpose, rather items to play with that are ambiguous and require creativity to bring them to life in whatever manner each child sees fit.
Using raw materials such as sustainably sourced wood also engages children with raw materials that strengthen their understanding of the world around them. By being increasingly present with what nature provides us with, our products seek to promote wood as a better alternative than plastic and teach children the value of natural materials. This is fundamental in educating our OOSH/OSHC children to the importance of sustainability and ethically sourcing earth’s natural materials to create positive habits that they will follow as they grow and develop. We hope to create a brighter future for our children and it starts now.
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