Little Changes for a Big Impact: A look at Constructive Playthings Sustainability Initiatives
Constructive Playthings and the US Toy family of brands have offered teachers a wide selection of educational toys and classroom resources since 1953. We have always strived to offer you, our customer, a product that is useful, engaging, and well made. As an early childhood educator, my grandmother established the company’s vision of creating safe, quality learning products that could be passed down from generation to generation. She wanted to offer furniture and toys that are built to last the test of time, even in an active classroom setting. Thus, making Constructive Playthings products an educator’s favorite for over 70 years.
Ten years ago, we undertook a really big initiative to change operations and reduce our carbon footprint. We established recycling protocols for paper and plastic. We recycle around 3000 pounds of cardboard boxes weekly from our warehouse. Our team is continually moving towards digital processes to minimize paper usage, and we’ve virtualized servers and desktops to decrease the amount of power used. We utilize NEST thermostats in our offices to curb HVAC usage on weekends, nights, or holidays. We installed new HVAC units with economizers which are more environmentally friendly. Lastly, we replaced all lighting (inside and out) with LED fixtures and motion sensors to ensure the most energy-efficient option possible. Personally, the installation of solar panels in 2013 for our warehouse facility has been my favorite eco-friendly initiative. With 275KW of solar panels in place, we help offset over 50% of our electrical energy usage. The solar array will reduce our carbon footprint by approximately 10,232 tons of carbon emissions over the life of the solar array. Now that is something to get excited about!
Our partnerships are also vital to our sustainability efforts. We seek out and work with like-minded vendors, and aim to increase the number of eco-friendly items and packaging offered in our product lineup. Constructive Playthings also manufactures many of our own exclusive products, and those processes are continuously reviewed to see what better options are available. Although it often feels like a slow process, the little changes we make each day certainly add up, and we are starting to see the fruits of our labor.
Constructive Playthings and our U.S. Toy family of brands have an ever-growing responsibility to leave the planet in good shape for future generations of children and families. These future generations, our children, are the reason behind the establishment of our brand from the beginning, and why we are so passionate about this journey. We look forward to making a more positive impact with our sustainability efforts and thank you for your continuous support along the way.
Seth Freiden/CEO
FEATURED PRODUCTS:
Stacking Rocket Orchard - PLN-113
Ambulance & Doctor's Kit - GRN-3
Have a moment to share with us? Be sure to tag us and use the hashtag #constructiveinsights in your post. We’d love to potentially feature you on our social feeds and/or in an upcoming email!
