Legos Go Clean, Green

Eco-friendly Legos? Why not?

They're called Earth Blocks, and they're made of such usual suspects as tree bark and cedar dust and more exotic materials like green tea and — wait for it — coffee beans.

Yes, these new-age toys are made from natural materials, with the slight exception of the tiny bit of polyprolene used to keep all the bits together. You won't find a wide variety of colors, as in traditional Lego pieces, because these Earth Blocks are the same color as their elements. A bonus is that they smell a bit like what they're made of — so the coffee beans will be a special treat for those who are never too far from needing a caffeine fix.

You'll have to careful to keep these Earth Blocks away from liquids, like water or spilled juice and the like. That's one element that might make them not the perfect toy for the very young. 

And the shapes are a bit limited, given today's propensity for multi-shape building blocks, although those of us who grew up with nothing but the traditional shapes will feel right at home.

All in all, an eco-friend's dream come true for sustainable toys. As with other such options, however, you'll pay a bit more: $27 for 50 blocks. That's a lesson of a different kind for the young ones.