But behind them is a dark and dirty secret and that secret is packaging. Zoom out a bit further and you see this:
The reality is as model horse collectors we generate a lot of waste, and I mean a LOT. Look at the packaging at the top there, that was one My Little Pony. As well as all the boxing there was also a plastic comb, that I'll never use, and a leaflet that was shiny paper (not good). Then look at your average Breyer, mixed media boxes (hard to recycle), plastic tags and the obligatory catalogue in every box. And that's before we even start to think about what they are made of.....
For me the issue is even more potent, I run a business selling these things, I have boxes filled with neatly boxed Breyers and....even worse.....the blind bags! Those blind bags cannot be recycled, they are a single use 'sachet' type product that basically just fills up landfill and our oceans, they are the worst of the worst, but they are our best selling products, and I love them.
And then we move beyond just the collecting. Once we've got over all the packaging and the plastic models we then move to the other stuff. Let's start with customising, pots of paint, we all have them and if you're anything like me you probably get through quite a few, but the majority of those plastic paint pots can't be recycled. Then there's synthetic brushes, aerosols, chopped off body parts, micro plastics urgh the list goes on and on. Tack making is a bit better, you use more natural products like leather and metal, but you still get the packaging waste it comes in. Some companies are better than others and do use minimal waste (we are moving to cardboard large letter boxes rather than the padded envelopes for example) but still...
As I move towards a sustainable zero waste home I can't help but feel that I'll never achieve that objective whilst I collect model horses. How can I claim to care about the environment and then go and happily spend several hundred dollars on plastic items that come in tonnes of plastic packaging? It feels inherently hypocritical. But it also in a way feels wrong to deprive myself of something I love so much and to put all that guilt on me, as a consumer, when there aren't alternatives out there. This is not me buying bottled water when I have a perfectly good water bottle to use (which really is not on, and actually I don't do), this is a situation where making a change just isn't an option. So what can I do, as a business owner and hobbyist, to start to be more responsible about my hobby and the planet I am leaving for those just a few years younger than me? Because the reality is that in 30 years time the world is going to be a very different, and not very nice place to live.
Changes to Make
I am by no means an expert on zero waste living, and the reality is that pretty much everything we do is going to have an environmental impact. But here are some suggestions that can, at least, help us lessen that.
1. Take responsibility. Accepting that there is responsibility there is a big step. We all have a duty to care for this planet and for younger hobbyists, we are in the dying days of our current age, if we want this hobby to be able to continue we need to save the planet. Nobody is going to have time for plastic ponies in an environmental disaster.
2. Avoid BNIB. This doesn't eliminate the problem all together, someone is still generating that waste, but if you are personally trying to go zero waste buying models that aren't boxed is a good place to start. It also has other benefits too, they are often cheaper and you can inspect them for flaws!
3. Change your collection. There are plenty of models out there that don't ship in loads of packaging. Vintage, premier, collector's club, BF SRs etc. all ship out of box with just bubble wrap (can be reused easily) and a cardboard box or plastic bag (urgh). You'll also be buying one model instead of three or four so it saves on the plastic production as well. This will probably mean changing your buying habits, saving up for several months and buying one horse, rather than buying several. Models such as customs, resins, chinas, CTFs all come with no boxes as well!
4. Plastic free models. For many of us the vast majority of our collection will be plastic based, whether that's resins, Schleichs or Breyers. But there are plastic free models out there. Chinas are an obvious choice if you are looking for plastic free, but for those who want something less breaky have a look at the CTF market. Latex (sustainable sourced), wool, felt, wood and even glass are used to make models.
It is worth noting that of course these alternatives need to be sustainably sourced. But they are generally better than plastic, particularly as they will all biodegrade (eventually).
5. Look for alternatives. If you are using lots of paint have a think about whether you could use pigments instead. There are stores where you can go in and fill your own pots with pigment (there is one in Bloomsbury in London), which makes a good alternative to plastic paint pots. This is not an option open to everyone, particularly in a global pandemic, but maybe one to think about in the future (or create an online business doing it, there's a market there, if you can do it with pasta you can do it with pigment)! Look at sourcing natural fibre brushes and look at packaging to see whether it can be recycled. There may be brands out there that are putting their paints in better packaging, go do some research! Finally reuse as much as you can.
6. Where are you shopping? There is absolutely no rule that says you cannot ask a business about their carbon footprint and the type of packaging they are using. Choose model horse dealers that pack items in recyclable or biodegradable packaging. If you can buy models 'in person' rather than online as this will also reduce the footprint.
7. Shipping. Packaging is necessary when shipping models, nobody is saying it isn't, but there are better alternatives out there. Here are some of the changes we have made or are making to try and reduce shipping waste:
- Biodegradable packing peanuts
- Biodegradable air fill or paper for padding
- Biodegradable or Oxodegradable bubble wrap (just keep the later out of the sunlight, it literally does degrade)!
- Cardboard boxes made from recycled cardboard
- Paper packing tape
- Reuse everything! Boxes, bubble wrap, fill - keep it all and reuse to ship more models!
- Eco Labels? This one is harder, the best I've found so far are A4 sheets where the backing paper is silicone based so could be composted
- Choose a courier that fully carbon offsets - this BBC article highlights some of the issues with courier/delivery companies: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-47654950
8.
Ask & Demand. There is absolutely no harm in being really clear to companies that you want them to reduce packaging and source better alternatives. Packaging in the toy industry is a huge topic! As dealers we need to be better at asking these questions and use our own buying power to make demands. But as consumers we have a responsibility too. If enough people ask and question then companies will change, they aren't stupid. Also pressure your law makers to insist upon stronger regulations and zero waste mandates. In 2020 the UK banned several single use plastics (straws, cotton buds etc.) all because of one sea turtle. That is the power we have, use it.
This article is not meant to attack anyone or any company, it is designed to help me get something that has been bothering me for some time off my chest. But it is also designed to start a conversation, because this is important, really important, particularly if you have children. We are all responsible for our planet, that doesn't mean we can't have nice things, but it does mean we have to think carefully about what those nice things are and how we go about acquiring them.
Disclaimer: The changes to Chestnut Ridge shipping and packaging mentioned above are ongoing. Any new supplies bought in are designed to, as far as is possible, be degradable and/or recyclable. However, we also reuse numerous supplies (especially bubble wrap, boxes and filling materials) and we have been given a TONNE of packing tape that we will, of course, use up. We strongly encourage you to reuse these items yourself.
