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Earth Day BlogOn April 22, 2016 we celebrate Earth Day and reflect on our planet’s environment and what we can do to help preserve it on a personal and business level. Earlier this year, the LEGO Group made announcement that they plan to invest about $150M in the development of a new LEGO Sustainable Materials Centre based at the LEGO Group’s headquarters in Billund, Denmark.  They will hire a team of 100 researchers and specialists to conduct research to find the best alternative and sustainable materials for their LEGO bricks.

LEGO BricksSince 1963, LEGO bricks have been made from a strong, resilient plastic known as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), which is petroleum-based. Each year, LEGO manufactures more than 60 billion plastic bricks, which corresponds to more than 90 bricks for every person on the planet.  The production of LEGO bricks uses more than 6,000 tons of plastic annually.

Corn-based PlasticThe LEGO Group recognized that the petrochemical materials that they use are not sustainable and they plan to find “new and sustainable alternatives” to its existing materials. They know the material will still be plastic, just something that’s not made from oil.  There are a number of bio-based alternative plastics  made from corn, plant sugars or other types of biomass.  One alternative they have investigated is Polylactic acid (PLA)—a plastic produced from corn—that is made from a renewable resource and is potentially compostable.  Finding a suitable alternative that meets the quality, “clutch ability”, durability to the ABS plastic will not be an easy task.

Wind EnergyAs a company the LEGO Group has demonstrated a commitment to preserving the Earth’s planet. In 2012, LEGO Group invested $500 million into green energy related to an offshore wind power project off the coast of Germany.  The company hopes to run on 100 percent renewable energy by 2020.  In 2014, LEGO Group reduced the actual size of their LEGO boxes and had their cardboard certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), thereby reduce CO2 emissions by 10,000 tonnes.

Like the LEGO Group, we can all make a difference in preserving our Planet’s environment. At Bricks 4 Kidz – St. John’s we not only teach children about environmental topics in our After School classes and Field Trips, but we are personally committed to being a very environmentally Green Canconscience company.  We are focused on minimizing our environmental footprint by re-using our LEGO® materials for the delivery of our various programs.  For cleaning of our LEGO® bricks we wash them with soap and water with no chemicals.  On a personal level, we recycle, compost organic matter, grow our own vegetables, use a reel push lawn mower, and collect rain water during the summer using rain barrels for watering our plants and vegetables.

As individuals and businesses we can all make small and important changes in our daily actions to make a difference. Have a great Earth Day on April 22, 2016.