The Bite:
Otally-tay. Help ‘em learn the value of a penny (and the planet) with an eco piggy bank. These gift-worthy finds use recycled, sustainable, or nontoxic materials that keep resources from getting lost in translation.
Eco Piggy Banks
Is saving money a foreign language to your kiddo?
08.10.2009
Submitted by alara on Sun, 08/09/2009 - 11:00pm.
The Benefits:
- Speaking toxin-free lingo. Plastic piggy banks may contain phthalates - a chem that’s linked to developmental and reproductive probs - and others may use lead paint. Not these.
- Playing by low-impact rules. Recycled leather avoids the chem-heavy process of tanning new leather, and the wood used for these banks is sourced from well-managed forests where trees get replanted, not just cut down.
- Getting fluent in savings. This is an easy way to teach your kids about money - after a few months of saving, let them count up the change and buy something…they’ll get the idea.
Wanna Try:
- VacaValiente Purple Piggy Bank - purple piggy handcrafted from 100% recycled leather; also available in red ($49-$54).
- Big Belly Banks Elephant Bank - kids can watch their money slip into the clear-paneled stomach of this colorful elephant bank; handcrafted in NH with hardwood and nontoxic finishes ($45).
- Haba Goblin's Treasure Bank - acrylic glass bank with two beech-wood goblins watching over a kitty; water-based finish and phthalate-free ($27).
- Ceramic Piggy Bank - polka dot ceramic piggy bank, hand-painted with low-impact, lead-free dyes; made in China but under fair-trade practices ($26).
- Cars and Trucks Piggy Bank - ceramic piggy bank painted with lead-free paint; personalize it with your kid's name ($25).
- DIY Bite - make your own piggy bank with paper-mache, a milk jug, or an egg or milk carton.
Timeout
Instead of a piggy bank, Chicago 3-year-old David Groothuis saves all his change in a Northwestern mug that he swiped from his dad, Derek.
Bang For The Bite
If 10,000 Mama Biters choose a piggy bank made from eco-materials for their kiddos instead of the regular kind, we'll keep the weight of 143 polyglots in plastic, toxin-laden toys out of kids' rooms.
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