There’s more to going green than one can imagine — your family’s health and the wellbeing of our planet are currently at risk as the impact of modern parenting on our planet is staggering. Landfill sites, for instance, are being clogged with millions of disposable diapers and other toxic products.
As a parent, if you are worried about the carbon footprint that you are leaving behind and are planning to be a part of the solution, and if you would like to improve the health of your loved ones in the long run, this guide is for you.
Green up your nine months
You don’t have to wait for the baby to arrive to begin making positive changes in your life — the time to start is now, and here’s how.
Eat clean
Did you know that there are conventional produces that have been exposed to harmful chemical pesticides and the residues remain on the food even after washing? These have been linked to birth defects, asthma, and cancers.
According to studies, childhood leukemia rates more than quadruple when pesticides are used in the home e.g. when children live in farm areas where pesticides are used. In meat, it is not just about pesticide residue but artificial growth hormones also remain in the meat. Non-organic animal products can also be exposed to radiation. Some foods are riskier than others and the most important foods to ALWAYS eat organic include:
- Animal products (free-range is also very important in animal products), including eggs, dairy, chicken, beef, etc.
- Rice (pesticides show-up in rice more than most other grains)
- Concentrated foods e.g. baby foods, tomato paste, fruit juice (all which can have concentrated levels of pesticide residue)
- Produce from the *Dirty Dozen list
*The Dirty Dozen
The dirty dozen consists of foods that are most contaminated with pesticides and/or with pesticide residues which are difficult to clean off. Needless to say, it’s best to buy these from the organic section of your supermarket.
• Apples • Spinach
• Peaches • Sweet bell peppers
• Nectarines • Cucumbers
• Strawberries • Cherry tomatoes
• Grapes • Snap peas
• Celery • Potatoes
Note: Added to this list are chilies and kale.
Pledge against plastic
It can be tough to forgo plastic completely especially when it comes to kitchen utensils, containers, etc. Plastics and plastic by-products are being linked with reproductive issues (estrogen mimickers), birth defects, neurological disorders, and cancer. The big offenders are phthalates (estrogen-mimicking, and suspected human carcinogens), BPA (estrogen-mimicking), vinyl (contains phthalates and lead), and Styrene (possible human carcinogen). Also, plastic never biodegrades and plastic molecules are found in every drop of seawater. You do not have a reason to not use them now.
Start reading labels
It’s high time to not take it for granted that your skincare products are safe just because they are from a famous brand. Most conventional beauty products contain high levels of known endocrine disruptors which affect hormone systems, neurotoxins, and carcinogens. Plus, know this: Even baby products which claim to be ‘natural’, ‘safe’, or ‘gentle’ can be loaded with hazardous poisons.
Much of what you use on your skin passes through your blood-brain barrier and during pregnancy, much of this can pass through the placenta. All of us have very likely applied more than 126 unique chemicals to our skin via the skincare products we use which contain ingredients that have never been tested for human safety.
To be safe, if a product is too strongly scented, or if you can’t pronounce the ingredients in it, don’t use it!
Go for organic toiletries
If you are using organic toiletries such as body wash, shampoo, and body moisturisers, chances are they may be safe to use of your baby later on too, provided that he or she is not allergic to any of the natural ingredients in the product. Also, certified authentic toiletries are made in such a way that only a little is needed at a time. As such, they go a long way in helping to keep your family’s skin and hair healthier and are far more economical too.
When the baby arrives
When a baby is finally here, you’ll find that it’s a whole different ball game when it comes to living green. Here are a few tips to set you on the right track.
Green diapering
Babies will need diapers and there are no two ways about it. They’ll be going through thousands of diapers before they’re old enough to be potty-trained. No matter what brand you happen to choose, you’ll nevertheless still be spending lots of money on diapers till your little one no longer needs them.
All diapers end up in landfills throughout the world, slowly poisoning the earth, not through their biodegradable content, but through the material they’re made of. Disposable diapers are generally made up of non-biodegradable material, hence they do not break down easily. So, they end up clogging landfills for years, running into decades.
We fully get that disposable diapers are convenient for parents — they eliminate the need for piles of laundry, are easy to use and once they’re soiled, you just throw them out, contents, and all!
Thanks to growing awareness though, more and more parents are beginning to realise that their ‘green’ competitor, the modern cloth diaper, isn’t all that troublesome to use compared to the older, dated versions. For one, there are no safety pins involved in diapering a baby with the cloth diaper these days! Instead, they use velcro or button fastening, which makes them a breeze to use.
Modern cloth diapers are mostly made of natural fiber cloth materials including cotton, wool, bamboo, and unbleached hemp along with microfleece. These include all-in-one diapers, fitted diapers with covers, and pocket diapers that have a water-resistant outer shell and an opening for insertion of absorbent inserts. Some don’t even need not be soaked or rinsed before washing. All for all, cloth diapers are:
- Chemical-free
- Kind to baby’s skin
- Kinder to our the environment
- Much more economical in the long run
Nurse your baby
Babies need to drink milk and if you have given birth, you are faced with the choice of either breastfeeding or giving your baby formula milk. There’s only one way to feed a baby formula and that is through milk bottles. Did you know though that many of these feeding bottles today still harm the environment by producing toxic waste such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and more? We realise that sometimes even breast milk is fed through a bottle, but in any case, the breast is still best.
Your breast milk is the most nutritious food, which protects your baby from illness and ensures healthy physical and psychological development. There is nothing that can compare to the 100% natural goodness of a mother’s milk, so seriously consider nursing your baby if you can.
Baby food: Why buy when you can make your own?
Commercial baby food may look appealing on the shelves, what with all those different flavours and variants. Still, have you ever asked yourself:
- What goes into a jar of commercial baby food?
- How long they have been sitting there on the shelf before you bought them?
A growing baby who is on solid food needs to be fed for nourishment. Many brands of baby food, even reputable ones, contain preservatives and thickeners that are not good for long-term consumption and even defeat the purpose of feeding a baby.
The environmental impact of processing, packaging, storage, and transportation of baby food is also something to consider. Valuable resources are extensively used in manufacturing them. These and the convenient jars or plastic pouches that these foods are packaged in inevitably end up in landfills.
If you must buy, go for organic!
Organic baby foods and baby formula is not only good for the baby but also good for the environment as well. Made without conventional pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, or growth hormones, organic foods limit a baby’s exposure to these harmful substances. Organic farming also boosts healthy soil, supports water conservation, and encourages biodiversity.
You can help to lessen the demand for commercial products by making your own delectable and nutritious baby food and of course, by encouraging others to do so as well. You can pick and choose your ingredients and make sure that your homemade baby food is made using only the freshest meats, vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.
Go green on baby stuff
Fortunately, as awareness catches on, more and more eco-friendly or ‘green’ baby products are emerging in the market. Many brands of baby goods including toys, clothes, and even feeding utensils have jumped into the green bandwagon, producing their line of organic products.
When it comes to toys, keep your eyes open for ones made from non-toxic, recycled, and recyclable plastics, which are free from PVC and polycarbonate. Look for eco-friendly wood products that have come from sustainably managed forests. These toys not only last longer, but are also non-toxic and lead-free.
You can also check out local, handmade toys to save the energy used in transporting products. Look for organic or fair-trade products, gear, and toys.
Go gender-neutral
Blue for a boy, pink for a girl, and yellow if you’re not sure — That’s the way it has always been! If you wish to reuse your baby stuff and save lots of money, ditch gender-specific purchases and go instead for neutral colors such as brown, red, green, and even stylish black or grey. This way, your future baby, regardless of gender, can also use them. If you keep tabs on how much you would have spent if you had to shop for new baby clothes, you’d be surprised at the savings!
Not all baby stuff needs to be new stuff
New things will eventually become old, but not necessarily unusable. When it comes to green living, it means it’ll be more sensible to borrow whatever you can from others, and likewise lend them yours too. There are lots of baby stuff that can be borrowed from friends and family. If you do however feel like buying stuff, try shopping at consignment stores, or buy clothes from garage sales.
If enough parents borrowed instead of buying and turned to second-hand stuff including baby gears like strollers and cots, it can help save them money and lessen the junk accumulated in landfills in one go.
Grow some food!
In so many ways, growing your food can make a huge difference in your life. Growing food involves composting and mulching, which help to contribute to a green environment in your home. Kitchen wastes such as eggshells, fruit rinds, and coffee grounds are great for compost. These are simple and easy tasks that will allow you to cut down on waste, save money and reuse and recycle natural resources. Don’t forget too, that your family will be able to enjoy fresh produce which is guaranteed to be healthier than store-bought varieties.
Change the way you clean your home
Many would agree that poisons and toxins don’t belong in a home, yet many homes are equipped with enough dangerous substances to poison a whole village — we kid you not!
While a clean home means a healthier environment for your family, many are clueless and don’t think twice about the environmental consequences of the effective yet harsh products they use to get the job done! The “danger” or “warning” sign on the bottle means that even a small amount of exposure to these chemicals can lead to medical issues, but what we seemed to have forgotten is that using these harsh and toxic cleaners at home can cause serious pollution in the waste stream too, poisoning our earth in the long run.
You can make a difference by opting for homemade cleaners that are made from ingredients you’ll easily find in your kitchen or the supermarket. You’ll find loads of ideas and recipes for safe, homemade cleaning solutions on the internet. Making and using your household cleaners can save you from burning holes in your pocket too, for the prices of some cleaning products out there, especially if they happen to be organic, can be steep.
Re-use whatever you can
Welcome to modern living where almost everything (utensils, slippers, cameras, plastic containers, and even clothing items such as underwear) come in disposable varieties. Some are so appealing that people tend to buy, buy, buy without any real need them! Some people buy loads of disposable stuff ‘just in case’ they’re needed someday, and some people buy them just because they happen to be on sale. How many of such items do you have in your home right now?
It’s time to start a new habit, which is reusing and recycling whatever you can. Why throw away pieces of fabrics when they can be used over and over again as kitchen rags? Cardboard boxes too can be reused as storage boxes, something every home could do with. Keep thinking in this manner and before you know it you’ll be wasting far less, and you’ll also be doing your part in conserving the environment.
These small changes you make will help save you the costs of buying new stuff and reduce the waste that ends up in landfills.
Resist hoarding
It’s all too easy to turn into a hoarder when you have kids, for every single thing your child owns seems to have a sentimental value attached to it. Hence, before you even buy anything from now on, choose quality over quantity, and think carefully before making any purchases. Don’t forget to inform family and friends of your intentions to de-clutter your life, so that they too will not overdo it when buying gifts and presents for your children. In the meantime, as far as decluttering your life goes, it’s important to start somewhere — one good way to begin is by donating stuff you can do without to charity.
More tips on green parenting
It’s never too early to start bringing up a green child. The best way to go about it is to lead by example. If your little one keeps seeing you separating the rubbish for the recycling bin, or declining plastic bags at the grocery store, or even picking up rubbish that isn’t yours for the sake of keeping the park clean, then he or she will, in time, follow suit.
Apart from setting an example, there are many other ways you can bring up a green child. Here are some of them.
Show and tell. Even toddlers can be taught to appreciate and protect our planet. Every time you take your child outside, let it be a show and tell session about the beauty of our environment — the birds, flowers, trees, the rocks, etc.
Explain your actions. Every time you take a step towards making your home a greener one, explain to your child about the steps you’re taking and the reasons to do so.
Teach them to appreciate their food. Taking kids to places like plantations and farms may give them a better understanding of where their food comes from and that foods don’t just appear on the table. This will help them appreciate their food and not take it for granted.
Lead an active lifestyle. Encourage your kids to move their bodies for the sake of their health. This will help them stay healthy and minimize the need for doctor’s visits and medicines.
Give public transportation a go. You can help cut down pollution by not using your car unnecessarily. There are just too many cars on the roads with only one or two passengers in them. Try using public transportation by taking buses and trains with your kids.
Get them interested in gardening. Through gardening, you can teach your little one about the importance of plants in our ecosystem. It can be really fun for kids to learn how to work the earth and grow plants for food.
Promote conservation at home. Children will only know that about resource-conserving lifestyles, for example turning off the water when washing the dishes and switching off lights when leaving the room if they are taught about the importance of doing so.
Lead the way
Everyone who is into a green lifestyle inevitably wants the best for our planet. Why not, for it could also mean leaving behind a better dwelling place for the future generation. Eco parenting is all about relearning, giving up on certain bad practices, and adopting good habits that help provide a better lifestyle for your family and yourself. Follow through well enough and your new planet-loving ways will probably rub off onto your children!
