TikToker Marissa (@honeylunehivery) has a bone to pick with the popularity of wooden toys.
"From a sustainable environmental perspective, I totally love the idea of wooden toys ... that don't end up in our landfills," Marissa says.
@honeylunehivery Stop making sustainably be economically unattainable 😠 There are so . many . ways . to be more sustainable without spending on expensive zero waste products. Being more eco friendly and environmental isn't a "trend". Greenwashing is real. ♻️ #greenwashing #sustainableliving #sustainability #ecofriendly #zerowaste #ecoliving #ecohome #holistichome #holisticliving ♬ original sound - Your Holistic Home Helper 🌿
But there's a problem: There's a trend within the sustainability movement that Marissa finds "frustrating."
Her frustration stems from a recent video she saw of a parent complaining about the hefty price of the toys. Over the past few years, a number of companies began to offer these expensive, sustainable toys. The Natural Baby Company, for example, offers a wooden fire engine for $190.
Such prices make it "highly unattainable" for most parents to provide these toys for their kids, especially as prices continue to climb because of inflation.
"Who isn't rolling in six figures of disposable income?" Marissa remarks, sarcastically.
The crux of her argument lies in how expensive, trendy products undermine the spirit of sustainability. "We are upselling really basic things," she explains.
She provides the example of another recent trend — the rise of fancy glass containers. While these containers can be a sustainable choice, Marissa argues that they shouldn't be the only option. "Predating this glass container trend," she points out, "we have mason jars."
How many of our grandparents reused containers for all manner of things? Hyper-consumerism has made such reuse a thing of the past, but it doesn't have to be. Others have taken to social media to discuss the money-saving power of reusing glass containers.
Marissa considers this trend of green consumerism to be "greenwashing," which is when companies market themselves as environmentally friendly while doing little to help the planet. To learn more about greenwashing, check out TCD's guide.
Marissa offers a powerful conclusion in the video description: "Stop making sustainability be economically unattainable. ... Being more eco-friendly and environmental isn't a 'trend.'"
By highlighting this issue, Marissa raises an important point: Sustainability should be accessible to everyone, regardless of income level.
There are numerous ways to adopt a more eco-friendly lifestyle without breaking the bank. The next time you see an overpriced product marketed as sustainable, remember Marissa's message: There might be a better solution waiting to be discovered.
It's a solution that's resonating with users.
"I totally agree with this… thank you," one user comments.
"So true!" stated another. "[This trend] makes no sense."
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