if cost is an issue, wooden pegs are cheap at Coles. old saucepans at any opshop. dressups. Green Toys don't have to be new. Part of the green toys concept, is recycling toys, and things that babies are amused by. Tools for the sandpit that aren't brand new and plastic - e.g metal utensils, wooden spoons from opshops, old teapots etc.

another "green present" idea is EXPERIENCES. e.g instead of a plastic toy, to give the child a visit to the zoo, (obviously age dependant). to spend time with the child.

for families that like to each put in $20 and buy a huge plastic thing, they could instead put all those $20 together, and buy a wooden sandpit/cubby/fort/playgym type thing. something in the back yard that the child will enjoy for many years.

give the option of gift voucher, to any relative who finds it all too hard.

clothing is another area, e.g some people try to avoid franchised clothing, clothing with words, or the foam transfers (fumes) that are so popular (and seemingly everywhere). Because clothing sizes are such a pain, it's easy to blame that issue, and ask that receipts be kept, in case you need to exchange, due to sizing problem.

i chose to avoid battery operated toys, for environmental friendly reasons, and because i think they overstimulate babies (stifling imagination), often plastic toys/battery toys are all lumped together.

google "organic toys" and many options come up. you can get bamboo and organic cotton teething toys that are very safe for babies to suck on. also wooden ones.

i think buying green toys, comes down to
- shopping around
- waiting for sales
- choosing green over quantity, so your child will have less, which is not a bad thing

some relatives/friends will take your info on board, some might be offended, some might totally ignore it. but you're the parent. you get to decide what gets to stay, what gets given to the opshop, what your child actually gets exposed to each day. if you want to limit the fumes for your child's sake, that's your priority, you're the parent. It's easy to get caught up in obligation, and monetary value, but those don't help the decision you've made for your child. For the first few years, you get quite a bit of choice. That will change later, so make the most of it now!

Your child will play with what's around.

i tried to do, what you are talking about, in a half hearted way, i wish i had gone into it stronger. I look back at those early baby photos and there is so much plastic in the photos! because i didn't put my foot down strongly enough (to match my own beliefs). i was seduced into thinking quantity was better than quality. And feeling too obligated to turn away the huge amount of opshop plastic toys i was given by well meaning people (who then never visited after that, so weren't there to see if they got used or not).

and it IS true, a baby and some pegs = hours of them gurgling and being happy.
i didn't believe it until i saw it myself.