Viewpoint: LEGO’s ‘The Organic Garden’ — Exclusive promotion of organic farming provides a misleading picture of agriculture
Viewpoint: LEGO’s ‘The Organic Garden’ — Exclusive promotion of organic farming provides a misleading picture of agriculture


My brothers and I loved playing with LEGOs growing up. We would make little farms and towns. We had houses and families. The possibilities were endless and we enjoyed it for hours at a time.
Yet even our favorite childhood toys can’t escape today’s political culture. Take a new addition to the LEGO family: The Organic Garden. It’s a whimsical little set with a number fruits and vegetables, garden tools, rain, and bees. LEGO claims the set aims to “help parents spark conversations about what grows in the garden and introduces kids to the idea of an ecosystem.” I support all of that, but why does it have to be organic?
…
Truthfully, this probably isn’t a big deal. It’s a toy with a silly adjective that doesn’t really mean anything. Most home gardens are likely organic, just because they don’t have the pest pressure that a farm would have.
…
I guess it bothers me because these subtle cues to children add up over time. The juice in their happy meal is organic. Food packaging sports organic and non-GMO labeling. Some crib and sheet sets are made without “toxic pesticides.”
So, sure, it’s just a toy. Or is it?
This is an excerpt. Read the original post here

![]() | Videos | More... |

Video: Nuclear energy will destroy us? Global warming is an existential threat? Chemicals are massacring bees? Donate to the Green Industrial Complex!
![]() | Bees & Pollinators | More... |

GLP podcast: Science journalism is a mess. Here’s how to fix it

Mosquito massacre: Can we safely tackle malaria with a CRISPR gene drive?

Are we facing an ‘Insect Apocalypse’ caused by ‘intensive, industrial’ farming and agricultural chemicals? The media say yes; Science says ‘no’
![]() | Infographics | More... |

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer
![]() | GMO FAQs | More... |

Why is there controversy over GMO foods but not GMO drugs?

How are GMOs labeled around the world?

How does genetic engineering differ from conventional breeding?
![]() | GLP Profiles | More... |

Alex Jones: Right-wing conspiracy theorist stokes fear of GMOs, pesticides to sell ‘health supplements’








Viewpoint — Fact checking MAHA mythmakers: How wellness influencers and RFK, Jr. undermine American science and health
Viewpoint: Video — Big Solar is gobbling up productive agricultural land and hurting farmers yet providing little energy or sustainabilty gains
Fighting deforestation with CO2: Biotechnology breakthrough creates sustainable palm oil alternative for cosmetics
Trust issues: What happens when therapists use ChatGPT?
California, Washington, Oregon forge immunization alliance to safeguard vaccine access against federal undermining
30-year-old tomato line shows genetic resistance to devastating virus
The free-range chicken dilemma: Better for birds, but with substantial costs
‘You have to treat the brain first’: Rethinking chronic pain with Sanjay Gupta