There are few periods in life that are as exciting, tiring and filled with emotion as raising a baby. On top of being a lot of work, bringing a newborn into the world can be expensive and lead to a huge amount of waste being generated. Let’s take a look at a few ways that one can raise an “eco-friendly” baby.
It All Starts with the Food
The obvious first step is to ensure that a baby is getting the best quality food possible. If possible, a baby should be breastfed until it’s time to be weaned, and then fed fresh, local and organic foods. Avoid jars of mush that have been processed in some far-off factory; if it looks or smells like something you wouldn’t eat, why give it to a baby?
Be Prepared for Changing Diapers
The tens of billions of disposable diapers sold and used each year contribute to one heck of a giant mess, piling up in landfills and costing a fortune to dispose of. Of course, diapers are a requirement and babies typically go through a few changes a day, so the only real solution to be a bit more environmentally-friendly is to make the switch to cloth, even if it’s only partial and some disposables are still used. The average baby goes through 1,000 changes a year; if half can be with reusable cloth diapers, a huge amount of waste can be prevented.
Clothing can be Eco-Friendly Too
With major chains marketing huge lines of fashionable clothing for babies, one can be tempted to dress their child up in the latest and greatest. It should go without saying that a baby cares nothing for what they are wearing, and that they will take every opportunity to stain or ruin their clothes anyway. Look for opportunities to re-use baby clothing, or to purchase clothing made ethically using renewable resources.
Take this Opportunity to Change up the Rest
Finally, having a baby in the home is an excellent opportunity to clean out other toxins and pollutants that may be around where a baby can be harmed by them. Harsh cleaners and chemicals can be replaced by eco-friendly alternatives which are far less toxic and harmful to humans. Make use of old cleaning staples like baking soda and vinegar to get the cleaning done or the scents out without adding toxins to the home.
With a little time and effort every baby can be raised in an eco-friendly way, contributing to their health and wellness.
very nice article, clothing should be eco-friendly for everyone