Consumer batteries are a major source of toxic wastes in our society, leaching heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, lead and nickel into the environment through landfills, and into our air and lakes through incineration. Though batteries seem small, when you add up the over three billion batteries per year that the EPA estimates Americans use, we’re dealing with a major toxic waste situation.

The most shameful aspect of our love affair with batteries is that most battery purchases are avoidable. The problem is that we are addicted to battery-driven products, hence we have an insatiable appetite for batteries. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the toy industry, where toy companies compete to pack store shelves with and endless gaggle of new products, all packed with or demanding their very own little toxic waste cylinders. The irony is that we often buy these gift for the youngest members of our families—the same people who will eventually inherent our increasingly toxic planet.

This year, think about the environmental impact of the gifts you purchase. Does the gift have an insatiable appetite for batteries? Can that appetite be avoided? Can you purchase a gift that won’t demand a constant stream of batteries?

Shops such as Tree House Toys (754 Elmwood Ave.) or Puddle Duck Toys and Dolls (5225 Sheridan Dr.) for example, specialize in gifts for kids that don’t require toxic fuel cells, such as Erector Sets, magnetic building blocks, and a host of games. There are also popular fad toys such as the new 3-D pool tables (pictured) that are battery-free, and of course there are favorite standbys such as Lego-type blocks and K’nex building straws. Shoppers serious about minimizing their environmental impact can also search for plastic-free toys, but the selection is usually limited and expensive. This year, put in a little extra effort into your holiday shopping and try to find toys and other gifts that don’t need battery juice to be fun. And take a few extra moments to explain to your friends and families why you’re buying battery-free gifts. There’s always an opportunity to set a positive example and model environmentally responsible behavior through thoughtful holiday purchasing.