AIBU to see the loom band craze as just more plastic waste to end on beaches and land fill

[Barbierella]

AIBU to not be able to see anything about loom bands except the fact they will be adding more tiny bits of plastic all over the planet for land fill and birds to choke on.

Yes I know there are bigger environmental issues so am I just being a total grump or does anyone else feel like this.

YANBU (and DP agreed when I just asked - he's a technical diver and sees what goes on in the oceans and on beaches!).

It isn't so much just loom bands, or carrier bags, or helium balloons, or those tissue paper lanterns, or any other human made detritus for that matter. It's the sum-total of all of those things that we need to be aware of. We have to live and enjoy life, but if we can each think of any way to minimise our (unnecessary) carbon footprint so much the better

It's common sense, but of course it's the non-popularist view so will always come across as "kill-joy" to some.

Saying it won't be a problem for a few hundred years, delays it for our children and their children to deal with.

Sea birds are constantly washed up dead, filled with plastic debris. It is a HUGE problem. Animals see, they eat. It blocks their intestines and they die.

It's preventable, but when you get people declaring openly that they don't care because it's not our generation that'll have to deal with the consequences then it's easy to see why it's still, despite all the evidence, such a huge huge issue, that is only getting worse.

rainbow interesting that your dd would think you were crazy, because IME children and young adults these days are far more likely to tell us grown-ups off, because they receive more education about the harmful effects to the environment of our waste, than I ever remember as a child!

What's wrong with French knitting for a similar but more environmentally friendly experience?

Yes my dd has learnt about the environment at school like the majority of her peers but they are all making them so why should I stop her!

Wottamess

French knitting and finger knitting

I can see your point and yes, I can agree with it to a certain extent but I think the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

The problem is that plastic is an unsustainable material, and these looms bands are also made really cheaply and so disintegrate. This is disappointing and upsetting, as well as being wasteful. We should be encouraging our children onto the traditional yarn arts, which are sustainable and long lasting. It's much better for us, our children and the planet if we use things made out of metal, wood, stone and wool/silk. It's more rewarding as well. French knitting, finger knitting, as well as proper knitting/crochet and embroidery :)

Rainbowstars

But there are alternatives with the same benefits but no environmental impacts.

It is a hobby. A creative hobby that is quiet, cheap, encourages creativity and manual dexterity and concentration. IMO these are all wholly positive things.

Most hobbies do involve using natural resources - drawing and painting use paper, paints/crayons/felt tips. Knitting and sewing use core products that have been through an extensive manufacturing process with all the associated chemical byproducts.

How many elastic bands are used in offices every single day? Along with poly pockets? When a simple paper clip or reusable treasury tag would work just as well?

On balance, I'd say loom bands are an excellent hobby. Litter is another problem altogether, but as most children make their bracelets etc indoors it's not as if the streets are knee deep in discarded bands.

I think this applies to the vast majority of throwaway plastic tat to be honest, and junk mail, excess packaging, party bag toys, cheap and cheerful clothing that we treat as almost disposable and so much stuff that gives us instant gratification for two minutes and then it's forgotten about and dumped in landfill.

When you think about it in a global context it's shocking.

YADNBU OP, and I agree with the poster who recommended French knitting.

The poster who said if it wasn't loom bands, it would be something else...well yes it would, but only if you buy them.....

It's possible to do knitting/sewing using equipment which is as good for the environment as possible-unbleached linen, hand dyed wool, recycled/sustainably produced needles etc etc. There is no need to buy plastic rubbish. I appreciate it is more expensive but you have to look at the wider environmental/human cost. Plus, better quality materials make the process so much more rewarding.

YANBU. Yet more tat which is destined for landfill or down the throat of some poor animal. It's a craze, it will pass but the effects will stick around.

I also wonder about the people who are making them too. £1 for a bag here, how much are the workers being paid?

I agree with all of the environmental points but I teach in a school for boys with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and we had our first loom band club session yesterday. It was amazing to see those 10 or so hyperactive, inner city "thug" boys sit for nearly an hour totally focused on their brackets. I was also astounded to see year 7 boys helping year 9 boys and so on and the older boys not minding.

Maybe I need to make the environmental factor part of the club (can you recycle elastic bands?) But overall it has been great for our students so far.

Can't you teach them how to weave? Cardboard loom and a ball of wool.

I think the positives outweigh the negatives. I'd rather supermarkets and multinationals looked at their packaging issues to reduce landfill and pollution.
Loom bands are something that hone fine motor skills, cross gender barriers, increase creativity and thought processes, encourage socialisation, has no aggressive issues and are an inclusive toy that is very affordable.
They also don't have half the toxic crap in them that battery and computer toys have when thrown away.
I've never made anything with them, but I go into schools all over Sussex and I think the impact on the playground has been very positive.

How about investing in 10 knitting nancies for french knitting? It'll cost more at the start but you can use them every year.

Goblinchild, affordable at what cost though? how much do you think the workers are paid to make them? what about wildlife? they're also generally not recyclable.

I agree that they are not yet environmentally-friendly, but it's a minute problem compared to packaging, Primark and others of that ilk and pollutants from so many of our non-recyclable crap.
I was pointing out some of the positives, which I'd find much harder to do with some of the other, bigger issues.
I wonder if there's a way of making them from more biodegradable or recyclable materials?

Some of the contributors to this thread are being a right load of miserablists.

Loom bands are a bit of cheap, harmless fun. The notion that they will have any significant negative impact on the environment is just plain bizarre.

And if they provide employment to poor overseas workers then that's a bonus. You can be sure that the employment conditions in a loom band sweat shop are a lot better than the employment conditions on a subsistence farm.

I think we could perhaps move on to weaving at some point but these boys are very aware of being in a special school and are very reluctant to do anything that isn't the height of cool or is a bit "girly".

They don't even believe that the GCSEs we do are the same as other schools... They think there is some special exam board for special schools somewhere...

No, I agree but I think it's an attitude thing. Companies start to do things differently when the pressure from consumers, and more importantly behaviour to back up that pressure, threatens their profit. By buying loom bands for our children, rather than more sustainable activities, we are encouraging and displaying attitudes that feed into the bigger issues, such as packaging.

My dds loom bands are made from recycled pine as are all her toys. Barbie is particularly fetching.

I would hate weaving as an alternative as I am allergic to wool - as are many.

I will not use silk for personal reasons, having watched the process used on living creatures.

You could use acrylic yarn..... (i.e. plastic) mainly made in and transported from China but therein lies another problem...