LEGO is going green.
No, that doesn’t mean that all of the little LEGO people will now look like The Incredible Hulk.
It simply equates to the world-famous company moving away from oil-based plastics and using plants for the production of their toys instead.
They made the announcement last week, telling reporters that they will begin creating toys from sugarcane plants as an alternative.
The iconic company’s vice president of environmental responsibility, Tim Brooks, told reporters: “It’s our belief that we owe it to children not to damage their planet by making their favorite toy.”
The process towards moving to a more environmental toy has already started, as LEGO has begun buying the sugarcane in bulk from South America. They have reassured fans that they will be purchasing from ethical agricultural companies only.
This is just the beginning of LEGO’s move towards more environmental production, as Brooks expressed his hope that all of the company’s core products can be made from sustainable sources by 2030.
The plant-based plastic is softer than the more durable oil-based plastics traditionally used by the company.
Stephen Mayfield, a molecular biologist from UC San Diego said that this is definitely a move in the right direction for LEGO and the toy industry in general.
He said: “It’s way better than petroleum, so these people should be applauded for doing this… The more we can go to biological sources, the better it is. The carbon footprint on that is pretty dang good.”