People need to stop buying kids so much stuff. It’s wrecking our planet.
Ebony – age 9
Hey, Lovelies.
One of our community reached out to me yesterday. She comes to my ‘Colour and Cuppa’ sessions sometimes, and enjoys making the recipes on my blog. She sent me an email, which I’ll include below just as she wrote it:
Hello Nicole, I am Ebony and I am a big fan. I am 9 years old and soon I will be 10 and this is making me feel bad becos everyone gives me stuff for my birthday so much stuff and this is a problum becos plastic is killing the world. It is nice that people think of me and want to give me things but I don’t need all these things and sometimes I don’t even want them which is rood I know but what do I do? How can I make people stop buying so much stuff for kids? I would rather have trees and bees and clean oceans and more koalas than to have cities and kongcreet and plastic everywhere because plastic doesn’t rot for ages or even ever so this is a problem because it just stacks up everywhere. People need to stop buying kids so much stuff. Its wrecking our planet. Some kids live in dumps filled of just broken all things and old toys and this is not right. Please give me some advice because you are wise, love Ebony
PS we all love your choclate brownies xxxxxxxxx
Dear Ebony,
Thank you for such a thoughtful email. You’re right. This is a really big problem. Not just for kids but for grown-ups too. We all buy more stuff than we need, and we don’t give enough thought to what will happen to the gift or the purchase AFTER it has been unwrapped. If we had fewer possessions but used what we had, and took care of it better, the world would have much less waste.
This year for my birthday I asked for donations to the Aboriginal Literacy Foundation. We raised over $2000 dollars and that money will be used to help kids have access to books and to be able to read and write and do math. These are very important skills for everyone. Maybe you could find a charity or a cause that matters to you, and ask that your friends and family donate on your behalf. Another good idea is to ask for a letter from someone, instead of a card where they just sign their name and give you a present you don’t want. I have letters that my family and friends sent me years ago, and I can still read them if I ever miss them, or if I need cheering up. If it is possible, maybe you could have a picnic with your friends and family, and everyone bring some food to share, or have a party using the internet so that your family and friends can be with you through a screen. Spending time together always makes better memories than playing with a toy.
Grown-ups have made a pretty bad mess of the world. We need kids like you to keep reminding us about what really matters. I would rather have a world with clean air and clean skies, and clean oceans, and more trees and bees and all kinds of animals, and everyone having enough to eat and a clean safe place to live, than to own a whole pile of stuff that I never use, or that keeps ending up as trash.
Don’t give up on the planet, Ebony. Ask your parents to help you contact your friends and family so you can explain your wishes. Talk to your friends about it too. It’s time for everyone to start doing things differently. Together we can still make a difference. And if we don’t, who will? It’s up to us – and it’s a very important and urgent job!
Big love and hugs, Nicole xx
Bloody awesome
Bless you Ebony. Gift of an experience is a good suggestion. When a friend passes, I tend not to give the widow/whoever a bunch of flowers, yes, beautiful, but in grief and sorrow along with all the other floral tributes, gets overlooked. What I have been doing is give the widow a rose bush (or whatever plant she likes) as an ongoing gift) There are many ways to avoid stuff, if a child is creative, things to create with, and can be used again. A bit of thought is involved soemtimes, but well worth it.
Bless you Ebony. I’ve been saying this for the past few years in regards to the waste generated from the fashion industry. Education must start at primary/elementary schools. Mindfulness on every level, buy local & support businesses in your own region/country. Give your children a ‘gift’ that will last a lifetime. Thank you to Ebony’s Mum too for listening to her child. BIG hugs and only 1 more sleep Nicole…XXX
‘Out Of The Mouths Of Babes’ from Psalm 8:2
I loved this letter from Ebony. I loved that she’s woke to the hazards that is going on on our planet due to consumerism and applaud that she doesn’t want “more stuff”. Another suggestion that she can request, as an alternative to accumulating more stuff is maybe each person invited to her birthday can give her the gift of experiences and quality time. One can be a gift certificate to go to the movies with a friend, or to play mini golf, go kayaking etc. Having quality time doing fun activities with friends and family are experiences that she’ll always remember.