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Going Green: 5 Ways to Green Your Baby
By Hana Haatainen Caye
Responsible parenting involves more than just finding the safest car seat, paying attention to crib recalls, and keeping scheduled pediatric appointments. It also involves caring for the earth your children will inherit, which makes ‘greening your baby’ the responsible thing to do. But where do you start?
For many parents concerned about the environment, the first and most obvious choice is ditching the disposables and keeping their babies’ bottoms comfortably swathed in organic cotton, hemp or bamboo diapers. However, there is more to greening your baby than just diapers. Here are five additional ways to reduce your baby’s carbon footprint:
Wipes
It’s not just what your put on your baby’s bottom that matters; it’s also how you clean it. With an average baby needing over 8,000 wipes before being potty trained, the waste generated by using disposable wipes is both significant and expensive!
If you are already using cloth diapers, the alternative is simple. Reusable cloth wipes can be tossed in the wash with the diapers. A wide variety of cloth wipes are readily available through online retailers and environmentally conscious brick-and-mortar stores. You can also make your own by cutting up old receiving blankets. Spritz your wipes with eco-friendly and baby-safe solutions made from natural soap, such as Honey Chunks Foamer.
Clothing/Bedding
Most infant sections in retail stores will offer adorable versions of clothing and bedding just ready to be “oooed” and “awed” upon. What you can’t count on, however, is the safety of the clothing and bedding. Unless it’s made from organic cotton or hemp, chances are those adorable fabrics are packed full of chemicals, toxins and possible carcinogens. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) issued a report in 2000 identifying seven of the leading pesticides used on U.S. cotton crops as “possible,” “probable,” “likely” or “known” human carcinogens. Organic cotton is free of these toxins and safe for babies. The same is true of hemp, which is pesticide-free as well, due to its natural resistance to insects.
Skin Care
Too many well-meaning parents bathe their babies with questionable products. Recent revelations of toxins in some of the most popular baby shampoos and bath washes shocked many parents, as reports revealed an astonishing amount of formaldehyde-releasing agents, carcinogens and hormone disruptors. The investigation was prompted by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, an advocacy group committed to eliminating toxins from personal care products.
The solution? Check for the USDA Organic label and Zero Toxins pledge. Will it cost more? Possibly. Is it worth it? Undoubtedly. Besides being healthier for your baby, less chemicals and toxins will wind up in our water supplies once the tub is drained.
Green Laundry
There isn’t much point in dressing your baby in organic onesies if the clothing ends up being laundered in a washer and dryer full of toxins! Don’t fall for the appeal of an admittedly adorable bear promising cuddly softness with every load. Fabric softener can be hazardous to your health and the health of your baby. Industry MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) have outlined numerous health-related side effects connected with the use of fabric softener. Time-honored alternatives, such as using vinegar in the rinse cycle, are safe and effective substitutes.
Remember to choose an environmentally friendly detergent as well. According to the EPA, a detergent with a neutral pH, such as one that is enzyme-based, is the best eco-friendly choice. Rockin’ Green and Norwex laundry detergents are safe for both babies and the earth.
Toys
When it comes to toys, greener often equals old-fashioned. Handmade organic cotton teddy bears or wooden toys and puzzles (minus any harmful varnishes) can provide hours of imaginative play without the waste of batteries and electronic gizmos that end up in the landfill – and they’re safer to boot. According to a report compiled by The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unsafe levels of phthalate (a chemical often found in plastics) may be responsible for contributing to potential health risks in children, including early onset of puberty.
Raising green-minded children begins in the nursery – from their first diaper to their first toy. The health of the earth will matter to them, because it matters to you.
Where to buy
Whether you are shopping online or in person, your choice of merchant matters! Here are just a few green retailers specializing in caring for the environment … and your baby!
- Wear the Earth – Located in Henderson, this retailer offers organic cotton and hemp clothing to outfit your little one (birth to 4T) in adorable sustainability. www.weartheearth.com
- Eco Friend Online – This Las Vegas-based company features a wide variety of eco-friendly apparel, bath and body products, bedding, furniture, cloth diapers, and toys – all perfectly suited for your green baby!
- Happy Baby Company – Focused primarily on cloth diapers and accessories, this online retailer offers a unique assortment of earth and kid-friendly products.
- Earth Mama Angel Baby – Known for the ‘zero toxins’ rating from the Safe Cosmetics Database, the EMAB line of bath and body products is ideal for every baby. They carry a full line for pregnant mamas as well.
- Well Rounded Baby – Another Las Vegas retailer, this store carries a range of products suited for the green and well-rounded baby!
- Oompa Toys – Carries a large selection of European, quality wooden toys by HABA. www.oompa.com
