Week 49 - Greening Baby

All of us at one time or another have either been pregnant or have known someone that is and most of us can say we have attended at least one baby shower in our lives. Expecting a new little life is an exciting time, but it's also an expensive time. You can count on that little person draining your finances for the next, say 24 years. So while you are busy spending hand over fist getting ready for Junior's arrival, the last thing you may be considering is adding even more to the already hefty price tag by throwing in "green" and/or organic products into the mix. But trust me. There are a slew of ways to green your baby (and your pregnancy) without breaking the bank. Let's start with the 3 Rs.


Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

1. Let's begin with the mom-to-be and maternity wear. When I was pregnant Target wasn't in our area, and maternity clothing were expensive and ugly (I still don't understand the whole bow thing). Things have come a long way, but ask yourself: do I really need a new wardrobe; one that will essentially be worn for only about 5 or 6 months? Check with your friends to see if they have any nice pieces, to carry you through that short period. When you are finished with them, pass them on to the next friend that is expecting.
   
2. Baby furniture (crib, change table, rocker, etc.) are the items that cost a lot. Why buy new? I know we all feel the urge to give our children the best of everything and that begins with the nursery furnishings. But remember the days when families handed down cradles? That's what we should be doing. Check with relatives, or the Salvation Army and Goodwill stores, to see what is available at a fraction of the cost. Before you accept or buy used furniture (particularly the crib) ensure it meets all safety standards and is sturdy.


3. If you must buy new, look into buying a crib which will convert to a toddler bed at a later date, and a change table which will later become a chest of drawers.


4. Strollers and car seats. Check out garage sales, the Salvation Army, Goodwill, friends and family first. Again ensure the items meet the current safety standards. I had 4 strollers (two umbrellas, one for rugged terrain, one double stroller and a side-by-side jogger/bike trailer. One soon to be grandparents couple, purchased all of them at our garage sale. Now granted, I'm a little particular so the strollers were in excellent condition. But I'm definitely not the only one like that, so take a look at what's out there first.


5. The above also applies to car seats. **YOU MUST KNOW THE SAFETY STANDARDS! This is an area where I would only be comfortable getting a seat from someone I know and trust (for example, maybe a friend had a baby a short while ago and has moved up to a larger seat).


6. Baby clothes. The amount you receive and buy is staggering and unnecessary. Again, friends, family, garage sales, consignment shops, etc. This would be a great time to organize some friends and do a children's clothing exchange.

This entire section is about reducing how much stuff we accumulate; stuff that may end up in the landfill. It's such a waste, particularly because we use the items for such a short period of time. Remember, if you do want to get rid of things, donate the gently used items to charity.

Cloth or Disposable? (Canadian Living Magazine)

The next chunk of change you spend will be on diapers. But do you choose cloth over disposable? It's not as obvious as it seems. Here's how it breaks down:

Cloth

• You will use about 10/day depending on the age of the child

The pros:

• they now have Velcro and plastic clips which make changing them easier


• they are softer then disposable


• they may cause fewer rashes

The cons:

• they are not convenient for traveling


• many day cares will not use them

The environmental impact:

• home laundered diapers use about 9,000 gallons of water a year; a commercial service uses about 5,500 gallons.


• also, you are likely using hot water (energy), soap and possibly bleach.

Disposable

• You will use on average 5/day (that seems low to me)

The pros:

• they are convenient; they can bought and disposed of anywhere

The cons: see below.

The environmental impact:

• the manufacturing process uses 29% less energy than home laundered cloth diapers; 20% less energy than commercially washed diapers.


• according to idealbite.com: disposable diapers produce at least 70 times more waste than cloth diapers, and Americans trash 18 bil diapers each year.

So in the end (outside of the convenience factor), it seems you have to decide between conserving water/energy, and sending trash to the landfill. It will largely depend on where you live (for example, drought conditions?).

A few other options:

• Visit gdiapers.com. They offer diaper pants with flushable liners. According to their website: "gDiapers have no elemental chlorine, no perfumes, no smell, no garbage and no guilt. In fact, flushables are so gentle on the Earth you can even garden compost the wet ones in one compost cycle, approximately 50 – 150 days. Just think of the standing ovation you’ll get from the planet."


• This is icky to me, but there are some North American cities that offer curbside composting programs, where you can compost your kids' diapers. Check it out, if you are up for it.

Green Baby Care Products

What should you choose to bathe, shampoo, wipe and moisturize your baby? Organic and all natural products would be the place to start. You want to choose products that are free of preservatives, synthetic fragrances, artificial colors, petroleum and of course they should not be tested on animals. There are many companies out there and you don't have to pay a fortune. Do a little research and shop around. You will find something to fit your budget.

Here are a few places to start:

• Burt'sBees.com


• Avalonorganics.com


• WholeFoods.com: they have a baby guide. Click on "whole body", then "whole baby" and you will see the link for the .PDF file.
  

So yes there is a lot to think about and you may feel you just don't need another thing on your list. But keep in mind we are trying to live in a more environmentally friendly way, so we leave a healthy planet for future generations. I can't think of a better reminder of the importance of what we are trying to do, then a new arrival to our families; even if it's just our global family!