Beaba Babycook
Simple Green Parenting Tips
I’ve noticed that the topic in everyone’s conversations these days (aside from employment and the economy), is going green. It’s all over – TV, newspapers, magazines – you name it and it probably has something about going green. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great. I do think it is important to care for the environment, but everything I hear to do to help seems to be on a larger scale. So it got me thinking, what could I do as a parent to help the environment? Well, I discovered some simple green parenting tips to follow, which can help save the environment.
Tip#1 – Rethink the baby wipes
I was on one of my most favorite sites, babycenter.com, and they had an article on steps to take to go green and something caught my eye. They reported that most baby wipes take several hundred years to break down. To be honest, I never really gave much thought to wipes or the footprint they leave on the environment. I read that on average people use about 5,000 wipes per baby, which means there are a lot of wipes in landfills. So as an alternative, I found that there are companies that have created 100% biodegradable wipes. One company I’ve seen in particular is Nature Babycare (www.naty.com), and they offer a variety of biodegradable products including biodegradable wipes.
Tip #2 – Switch to cloth diapers
According to an article from the Mother Nature Network, kids use an average of eight diapers a day until they are potty-trained. So if you take an average age of 2 ½ years to potty train a child then you are looking at approximately 7,300 used diapers and that is just for one child! Just think of all the diapers out there that are in landfills for years (along with the wipes). An alternative to using disposable diapers are today’s version of cloth diapers. I know what you are probably thinking, “cloth diapers, never”, but the thing that makes it different from our parents’ time is the inserts that fit inside the cloth diapers. A company called gDiapers has created a 100% biodegradable insert that is actually safe to flush down the toilet.
Tip #3 – Purchase wood toys instead of plastic
In the book, Green Parenting, it says that plastic and battery operated toys can contain hazardous materials such as phthalates or plastic softeners. This can be dangerous for many reasons, one primarily because it seems that most babies learn by putting things in their mouths, I can personally attest to this, my child is at this stage and puts everything in her mouth. So the answer to this is to purchase wood toys finished with nontoxic paint instead of the plastic ones. They may not be as shiny or as loud (which actually may be a good thing for parents), but they don’t contain the dangerous toxins which is key. The company Wooden Toys carries over 500 wood items that are each crafted with non-toxic paint and 100% child safe design.
Tip #4 – Toy and clothing swaps
As most parents have probably seen, it is amazing the number of toys, activity centers, and clothes. that are recommended for babies to grow and learn. Personally, my daughter’s clothes and equipment seem to outnumber our belongings by at least two to one, and she is only four months old! Not only are these things generally bulky and take up space, but it can also get expensive keeping up with her development. To try to combat this, I‘ve started to see parents exchanging toys and clothing. This can help save a lot of money plus it can save on storage space.
Tip #5 – Make your own baby food or buy organic
In an article on green parenting called “10 Tips for Green Parenting” they say that “[i]n addition to being better for the environment, natural healthy food from the start reduces the later risk of heart disease, allergies, behavioral problems, and many other ailments”. Whether this is completely true or not, it is something to think about. One way to do this is by making your own baby food. This has been a “hot” topic for many of my friends with babies, and I’ve read that it is pretty easy to make yourself. But if you like the idea but would prefer some assistance to make the job easier, then Williams Sonoma has a product called the Beaba Babycook. It is a steamer, blender, warmer and defroster in one small appliance that makes it easy to prepare fresh, healthy meals for a baby (I haven’t tried it out personally but it looks easy). But if making baby food isn’t your thing you can always purchase organic baby food at your local grocery store, which is also healthy and nutritious.
About the Author
Bounce Energy is a Texas Electric Company based in Houston. Bounce Energy's goal is provide more than low Texas Electric Rates to our customers. With innovative and flexible plans, excellent customer service, and superior customer rewards, Bounce Energy offers a unique approach to Texas electricity.
