The blog formerly known as   Fake Plastic Fish

Monthly Archives: May 2012

May 3, 2012

This Summer… Go to the Beach but Leave Your Turtleback and Other Plastics at Home

Would you believe there is a company not only producing plastic products for the beach, but actually promoting them using a photo of an ocean wave sweeping one of their plastic gizmos, filled with a disposable plastic cup, towards the sea?

I wasn’t planning on posting a rant today, as I’m leaving in a few hours for my semi-annual silent meditation retreat, but I got all fired up after I and several friends left comments on Turtleback’s Facebook page explaining how plastic pollutes the ocean and asking the company to reconsider its product materials, as well as marketing images.  I would have probably just been satisfied to leave my comment and drop the issue, until I discovered that Turtleback had removed our comments and banned us from further interaction on its page!  That kind of censorship from a company is dishonest and irresponsible, regardless of the product in question.

What’s Wrong with Turtleback?

Turtleback… Read the rest

May 1, 2012

Cate & Levi Toys and Puppets from Recycled Sweaters

My belief is that there’s enough material in existence in the world that we could probably freeze all new production effective immediately and just get more creative with what’s already out there. –Josh Title, owner of the Cate & Levi Collection toy company.

When I heard Josh say those words in his video about his toy company, I just wanted to hug him.  But he’s in Canada.  So consider this blog post a virtual hug.  I don’t have kids, but I’m always on the lookout for great plastic-free toys for those of you who do. Toys made from natural materials are great, but they still have an environmental impact. So I was excited to find out about Cate & Levi toys made in Canada from recycled wool sweaters. Because the materials are secondhand, each toy is not only eco-friendly, but one of a kind. Josh sent me a box of hand puppets to check out. How cute are they?

There was no packaging material inside the box except … Read the rest