Hey Barbie, we need you to solve one more problem!

Hey #Barbie, Thanks to you, all problems of #feminism and equal rights have been solved. But what about the pressing issue of #climatechange?

After watching the all hyped up and trendy #barbiemovie, I was thinking that if a human being or alien visits us from future, they will be blown away by how much us, Sapiens, are capable of avoiding the biggest problems we are facing in our times. In 2023 we have managed to celebrate plastics and fossil fuels, two of our biggest modern problems, wearing pink clothes designed by sparkles. Me and my friends also did it so no hard feelings :))

I mean, don't get me wrong, Barbie movie directed by #GretaGerwig has gone way beyond my expectations in the feminist discourse the movie was revolving around. Barbie has a significant global following, and the movie's release can promote feminism by showcasing diverse beauty standards and emphasizing female empowerment, hard work, and self-reliance rather than solely focusing on looks or depending on a Ken doll for validation. But come on Greta, for your name's sake!

Anyhow..

As the world honours Barbie, we cannot ignore the significant #environmental impacts caused by the toy industry's excessive #plastic waste and even more specifically the substantial carbon footprint associated with every iconic Barbie doll.

Plastic Pollution

According to a 2014 report by the UNEP, toys are known to be the most plastic-intensive consumer goods in the world. Unfortunately, they also end up being the second-biggest component that gets thrown into landfills.

On the other side, over 100 Barbie dolls are sold every minute and 58 million sold annually. 80% of all toys end up in landfill, incinerators, or the ocean much of this value is when toys are thrown away. Sadly, not every child cherishes their beloved Barbies forever or passes them down to future generations. And guess what? The bodies of millions of Barbies don't get disposed in cute graves in the Barbie land, they actually get dumped in the #landfills on earth. Not so pink, is it?

You might now be wondering about #recycling?

Well, Barbie, along with her plastic "friends" and accessories, poses a recycling challenge due to their composition of at least five fossil fuel-based plastics. This complexity makes it difficult to recycle Barbies efficiently.

On the other hand there is a health aspect to this high intensive plastic doll too. Plastic toys, including Barbies, release toxic micro-plastics and nano-plastics, which can be inhaled and ingested, especially if a child chews on the toys. Additionally, these toys emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals associated with fossil fuels, which have been linked to various health issues like eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, organ damage, nausea, and even potential cancer risks. It's essential to be mindful of these health concerns when considering the use of plastic toys for children.

OK, ok! We got it! Any good news?! Well lets try.. Mattel, the company behind Barbie, has recently announced that it's taking significant steps towards improving its plastic usage. By the year 2030, their goal is to incorporate 100 percent recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastic materials in both their #toys and #packaging. This ambitious initiative holds immense promise for the environment—if successfully achieved. But also, Mattel has proven to be very politically correct in their genius marketing strategies. Can we trust you #Mattel? I hope so!

Carbon Emissions and Forests

Barbie dolls production also generates a notable amount of carbon #emissions, with each doll contributing around 660 grams of carbon emissions due to plastic manufacturing, transportation, and related processes.

Also the packaging that comes with Barbies—it adds to the landfill burden too. With so many dolls out there, it means just as much (if not more) #packaging that takes up space. It's important to remember that even the boxes that house the Barbies come at the cost of cutting down trees.

What can we do about this?

Well we can't avoid the hype and glitter since we are social creatures and love belonging to groups, ideas, trends and vibes! However we can be more #conscious about the effects of our everyday choices. To starts we can embrace a #sustainable approach to toy #consumption and promote responsible practices in the toy industry by choosing more eco-friendly options. By doing so, we can reduce the environmental impacts of plastic waste while still bringing joy and entertainment to children. Together, we aim for a future where our little ones can play freely, knowing they are not burdening our beautiful planet. It's all about creating a brighter, greener world for generations to come!

As much as we believe that our individual choices aren't impactful, they sure are. Companies survive on our consumption patterns and demands and if we change our habits we can create a wonderful new normal that revolves around choosing health, justice, and environmental care over excessive plastic use. To achieve this, we can explore delightful children's toys made from safe, non-toxic, and #reusable materials. Also lets be mindful of the packaging that comes with the toys and buy from companies that sell the toys either #unpackaged or thoughtfully packaged in eco-friendly materials.

Last words, I promise

Let's not forget that we are living in one of the scariest times in human history with a risk of #extinction for all species including humans. Scientists have been alarming about the catastrophic consequences of our economic systems and consumption-centric lifestyles and activists has been shouting in the void to wake us all up. And then the Iconic Barbie releases the movie in 2023 and absolutely zero attention has been paid to the environmental aspects of one of the most harmful industries in the world that the icon belongs to!

Maybe Mattel's plan is to release "The Barbie Movie 2" in 10 years explaining the reasons why they didn't include environmental aspects as much as they should have neither in their production nor in their marketing plans!