Top 10 tips to be a green parent
Here are 10 tips to being a green parent, you may have some of your own which are not in this list, if you do, please let us know so that we can add them and maybe have 20 top tips! These are not in any particular order and of course if you just manage one or two you can make a huge difference.
Choose cloth nappies.
Cloth nappies are comfortable, reliable and save you money - around £500 per child, possibly more if they are used for subsequent children. Disposable nappies contain chemicals and gels which are in constant contact with babies’ delicate bottoms. They are then disposed of in landfill sites and take hundreds of years to rot down. By using cloth you are saving money, protecting your babies skin and helping the environment!
Use environmentally friendly laundry cleaners.
There are now a number of products on the market which contain only natural ingredients which biodegrade without harming the environment. By choosing carefully you can be sure that you are not washing harmful chemicals down the drain aswell as protecting your child’s skin from irritants.
Reduce and Recycle
Try to reduce the amount of waste that you use as a family. Try to avoid using plastic carrier bags which do not biodegrade, instead purchase a ‘bag for life’ from your local supermarket and re-use this each time you shop. Recycle all the waste that you can, including glass, plastic, paper, card, and clothing. Take unwanted toys to charity shops or toy libraries. Make use of websites such as www.freecycle.org
Choose Fairtrade products
Choose your products from manufacturers who practice ethical principles such as guaranteeing a good wage and working conditions for employees.
Buy organic products A baby’s skin is 5 times thinner than that of an adults, making it far easier for dangerous chemicals to be absorbed into their bloodstream. Look carefully at the products you use on your babies skin try to use organic products when possible. The benefits of eating organic foods has been well publicised over recent years and organic baby products are now readily available in most stores.
Choose your baby’s toys carefully
Toys made from plastics use non renewable resources which are also difficult to recycle. These toys can contain potentially harmful chemicals which can leak into the soil at landfill sites. Wooden toys, produced from sustainable sources are a lovely, natural alternative and the production process does not involve the use of toxic chemicals.
Buy organic cotton
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 20,000 deaths occur in developing countries each year from pesticide poisoning, many of these are attributed to cotton production. Due to the huge amount of pesticides and insecticides used on the land, the soil fertility is damaged. As a result, farmers are forced into buying more chemicals to encourage their cotton plants to grow which sinks them into debt. By farming organically, cotton farmers have reported that they do not have to get into debt. Alternatives to pesticides are used and farmers have substantially higher incomes, allowing them to educate their children and gain access to health care.
Be an organic gardener - use water butts to collect rainwater. Make your own compost and leafmould and encourage a wildlife friendly garden encouraging natural predators to control your pests.
Save energy - switch off appliances when they are not in use, install your own draught proofing, install energy saving lightbulbs. For lots more tips and advice check out www.energysavingtrust.org.uk Reduce your carbon footprint. For more information, and to calculate your carbon footprint, go to http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk/index.html