Eco Friendly Baby
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It’s easy to feel saddened by bleak statistics of global pollution and the environmental legacy we are leaving to our children, but there are some simple baby steps we can all take to help reduce some of the damage done to the environment.
With the launch of our new Prams for Good Campaign on March 1st, we are conscious about the amount of baby products going to landfill. Read more on this campaign here.
We have come up with a few top tips to help get you started on your journey to becoming a greener parent and look at the best eco baby products around:
Switch nappies
The average baby gets through 4,000 disposable nappies by the time they’re potty-trained, costing families £400 a year and taking up to 500 years to break down. By switching to reusable cloth nappies for just one child, parents could divert as much as 874kg from landfill and reduce their carbon footprint by up to 40 per cent. We love the new eco nappy range from Kit + Kin or the reusable nappies from Bambino Mio.
Ditch the plastic
Nearly every single piece of plastic we have used in our life still exists somewhere on the planet - including your toothbrush! Start by switching from plastic bottles to soap and shampoo bars, choose biodegradable bamboo cotton buds and nappy sacks - and look for plant-based baby wipes which are compostable and don’t clog up the sewers. We love Mama Designs Bamboo Wipes and Breast pads and the subscription to bamboo toothbrushes for the family from The Pearly White Club.
Play it safe
If your child’s nursery or playroom is in danger of becoming a sea of plastic, consider eco-friendly brands such as Green Toys whose non-toxic, food-safe products are made using 100% post-consumer recycled plastic including milk bottles and yoghurt pots. Or switch to wooden toys like Orange Tree Toys – they’ll last much longer and don’t require batteries!
Eco travel
Travel in style and help save the planet with eco-friendly travel products. Try a carrier from Tula or a wrap from Amawrap, both companies with eco-friendly credentials.
You are what you wear
Clothing manufacturing uses huge amounts of greenhouse gases and releases toxic chemicals into the environment - not ideal for sensitive baby skin. Thankfully, there are alternatives, such as organic cotton clothes on the market. We love Baby Mori and the new clothing range from Emma Bunton’s Kit + Kin
What’s for lunch?
Making baby food from scratch is neither easy nor convenient for many parents, but with so many organic baby food brands on the market today, it’s possible to source healthy choices to suit even the youngest (and fussiest) palates. Try Organix for full flavour and a wide range of products from babies to pre-schoolers.
Refill, re-use & recycle
Mopping up after young children is a given, so start by swapping your regular household cleaning products to a greener option such as Ecover. As well as being better for the planet (and cheaper for the consumer) Ecover also has refill stations in stores across the country – look for your nearest one here.
And finally…
Make the switch
With appliances running in the background of most families, it’s important to find an energy provider that won’t cost the earth. Most now offer a ‘green’ tariff but there are also dedicated green only energy companies too, such as Bulb, Ovo and Ecotricity. Simply turning the dial down on your washing machine to 30 degrees can also reduce your monthly energy bill and help the environment.
Don’t forget to share your top eco tips with us on Instagram