Green week -- All that not-so-disposable gear
The Sun ran a Los Angeles Times story this morning that has some interesting statistics about all the high-priced plastic toys and other items we buy for kids -- and how to deal with them when our kids have grown out of them (in what seems like about 2 minutes, in retrospect).
The story is about L.A. moms who buy pricey ExerSaucers and Bugaboo strollers for their little ones, then unload them at a huge kids' consignment sale for about half the price they paid (or, of course, less). The story talks about parents selling all sorts of items at these sales, including -- gulp -- breast pumps.
I gulp because I really wanted to give my old Medela Pump n' Style to a close relative when she had a baby. The motor was still working fine, and I had found a web site where the new mom could purchase some of the parts that touch the milk -- such as bottles and tubing -- brand-new. Passing on the motor would have saved her a couple hundred bucks. But after looking on the Medela web site, I balked; it said you could never really be sure that the internal components had gotten completely clean. (Pumps designed specifically for rental, it said, were safe for multiple users.) Even though I wondered whether this was a convenient way of selling more breast pumps, I didn't want to chance it.
I think this is a big reason more baby stuff doesn't get recycled. No matter how clean you get a used item, it's still used. Sometimes our zeal for conserving resources today is matched only by our fear of germs. And you frequently see warnings not to buy used cribs or car seats because the cribs might not meet current safety standards, and the car seats might have been in a crash you didn't know about.
What kid items would you buy or accept used?
(Associated Press photo of toy car assembly in China, 2007)
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
I agree that I wouldn't buy a used crib mattress or carseat; however, we did borrow an infant carseat from a family member. I would and already do buy many other things at consignment shops. It alllows me to save some money to buy more things or some more expensive items that are difficult to find used in excellent condition: jogging stroller, etc.
Posted by: eapopp | April 28, 2008 3:26 PM
Carseats will always be new. Same for the mattress, and I'd only take a second hand crib if I knew the people it was coming from. Otherwise, as long as it's clean, it's fine. We lent all our baby gear to my brother and SIL who just had their first and they had to buy very little. The clothes alone will save a bundle.
My breast pump was an Ameda Purely Yours, and it's a closed system. No way milk could get into the inner motor. So I did consider lending it to my SIL, in which case she would buy new valves and new horns and such. But she ended up getting her own.
Posted by: Kayris | April 28, 2008 4:44 PM
Definitely new car seat and mattress. Our crib was given to us by a friend but we knew it was in good shape and were able to check for recalls. She also gave me her breast pump and it was fine. I loaned it to a friend when I was done with it. I had no idea that was not considered kosher. ... As for other stuff, I try to buy used when I can. Why waste all that money and plastic on something that is used for such a short time? I'm not too worried about germs, given all the things they must be touching at preschool.
Posted by: Kris H. | April 28, 2008 5:45 PM
We found a great changing table on Craig's List - checked it out for safety first, but then bought it for $25. We probably would have been fine with a dresser and pad on top, but it was hard to beat $25. Made me think we'd consider reselling some of our stuff there when we were done with it.
We did go new with crib and car seat - glad that seems to be the consensus here.
Posted by: Amy | April 28, 2008 10:51 PM
I have had a strong reaction to the proposed booster bill. If all children born in the US are required to have at LEAST two types of safety seats in thier lifetime and they must all be new, how big a pile of these things is heading to our landfills? These sorts of safety requirements should not be put in place without a responsible plan for the end of the products useful life.
Posted by: Amanda | April 29, 2008 9:20 AM