Being a parent is a great opportunity to set in motion a new, planet-friendly means of existence. By using the eight tools of Zen enlightenment, you can teach your children the value of their choice, the value of their action, and the value of their impact on the planet. What could be a more worthy goal?
The number, type, and variety of baby products available have increased exponentially over the last few generations. Along with new clothes, gear, and utensils, books on raising babies line the shelves and magazines and websites are full of informative articles. This onslaught of information and alternatives comes at a time when parents may already feel overwhelmed. Trying to lead an eco-conscious life doesn’t have to happen overnight. Parents can take a deep breath, tackle items or concerns one by one, and then get ready to improvise.
After six months of breast milk (the greenest food on Earth), babies may be ready for some solid food. The first solid food babies usually get their lips around is cereal. Some parents may choose to make their own baby food rather than rely on store-bought brands.
Cereal can either be purchased in a box or made at home. Generally, when you purchase cereal, all that’s required is adding a little milk, formula, or water. Homemade cereal is a little more time-consuming, but you can make it in batches and freeze for easy use later. Ice cube trays can be used for freezing baby food; each cube measures out to be a serving size of approximately 1 ounce. There are also commercially available baby food–freezing trays that are compartmentalized with lids. When making rice or oat cereal at home, the grains must be ground and cooked, unlike commercially made cereal that’s already cooked and dehydrated before it’s purchased.
If you are looking for baby food recipes and don’t know where to turn, check out https://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com. This website contains recipes for your baby’s beginning cereal and even more recipes for different stages up to one year. The site also has articles on other food-related issues and answers frequently asked questions.
From cereal and oats, parents can move on to feeding baby other foods like vegetables, fruits, and yogurt. Some foods can be mashed with a fork, like bananas, while other foods, like sweet potatoes, may need to be ground in a food processor or a baby-food grinder. Vegetables will need to be cooked before you grind them. As with cereal, foods can be made ahead of time in batches and frozen as individual servings in reusable trays. Making baby food at home eliminates the single-serve containers used to sell baby food and the environmental impacts from manufacturing and transporting all those little jars and pouches.
Cloth versus disposables becomes the question nightmares are made of. Some children are allergic to the dyes and fragrances in disposable diapers. Others may be sensitive to cloth diapers if they aren’t changed quickly after they’re soiled or if they’re not washed well between uses. Diapers washed using a diaper service can reduce the potential for diaper rash when compared to home-washed nappies because services tend to use extremely hot water rather than chemical disinfectants.
Disposable diapers are made from cellulose and plastic. It’s estimated that in the United States the manufacturing of disposable diapers uses up to 80,000 pounds of plastic and more than 250,000 trees every year. It’s a highly industrialized process that results in the discharge of wastewater into rivers and streams and the release of dioxin into the air.
Disposable diapers make up about 1.3 percent of all the solid waste going into landfills today, and they’re full of human waste that contains germs and viruses. When cloth diapers are washed, the solids are flushed down the toilet and treated with other waste at a proper wastewater facility. Landfills are not designed specifically to handle biological waste; however, when operated correctly, all liquid draining from a landfill is collected and disposed of at a wastewater treatment plant. More than the contents of the diapers, the volume of diapers and the ability to reduce any component of the waste stream going into a landfill is the concern. If diapers are incinerated, the chlorine bleach they contain is converted to dioxin, another mark in the negative column for disposables.
Then again, cloth diapers are not without their energy demands. While the amount of water needed to wash one dirty diaper can be considered negligible, its impact on water use and wastewater discharge can be significant when large quantities of diapers are taken into account. Diaper services enjoy water savings because large numbers of diapers are washed together, requiring less water per diaper. Where you live impacts the cost of a diaper service. In areas where there is a high population of people who use a diaper service, the cost will be lower. In remote and more rural locations, the cost will likely be higher because delivery trucks will have to travel longer distances. In some areas, the cost of using a diaper service is lower than using disposable diapers; in other areas, it’s more expensive. Diaper services have suffered from the rise in disposable diapers and negative advertising from the disposable diaper manufacturers, and as a result there are fewer services. However, as more parents become concerned with the environment, diaper services are back on the rise. Many parents compromise when it comes to diapering, using cloth diapers at home but opting for disposables when traveling and at night. Parents can opt for biodegradable and even flushable disposable diapers and inserts that draw urine away from the baby and make dumping solids much easier. Some biodegradable diapers are made with chlorine-free absorbent materials that don’t contribute to the production of dioxin. Check the packaging for more information.
Cloth diapers have come a long way over the years. Pins can be used but are no longer necessary. Parents or caregivers can opt to use form-fitting covers with Velcro straps or all-in-one diapers that have Velcro straps right on the diapers. Parents can even choose between organic cotton and hemp. Diaper covers come in cool designs, making cloth a fashion statement. For additional information on cloth diapers and other accessories, check out www.mother-ease.com, www.clothdiaper.com, www.cottonbabies.com, and www.diaperjunction.com.
There are plenty of options when it comes to carrying babies. Some people prefer using strollers to roll about town, while others prefer carrying babies up close in a sling or carrier. It’s really a personal preference. Concerns with strollers are that they are made using plastic and soft polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coverings. Not only is this a concern with babies chewing on the materials; other issues also arise from the environmental impact of the manufacturing process. Although no studies specifically addressing strollers have been done, studies on toys show that babies don’t chew on the toys long enough to absorb chemicals. Parents who are bothered by the idea of buying a stroller and supporting the petrochemical industry can consider purchasing a secondhand stroller. Not only are many strollers made to last multiple children; a used stroller will also be less expensive than a new model.
Slings and baby carriers come in all shapes, sizes, and patterns and allow parents to keep babies close while keeping their hands free. Some slings snuggle the baby right up to Mom or Dad’s chest while others, usually those for older infants, are worn on the hips. There are also styles that are worn on the parent’s back. If you are interested in looking for different designs and more information on slings and carriers, check out www.sevenbaby.com and www.mobywrap.com.
Kids nuzzle everything, rubbing it on their faces and putting it in their mouths, so parents want to make sure their toys are as safe as can be. The Federal Hazardous Substances Act and respective amendments, along with the 1969 Child Protection and Toy Safety Act, govern safety regulations for toys sold in the United States. Regulations are enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and include testing requirements for the following:
When it comes to toys, concern over the materials and chemicals used are furthered by the amount of manufacturing done in countries with minimal regulations. Chemicals added to plastic to soften it include phthalates, which are considered a carcinogen by the EPA. Phthalates are also suspected as endocrine disrupters that can affect hormonal activities in laboratory animals. There is concern that children could absorb phthalates contained in the toys when chewing on them; however, studies have shown that the children do not chew the toys long enough for the chemicals to be absorbed. Some countries consider the levels of phthalates allowed in US toys too high; the European Union has banned six specific phthalates.
Enlightening children about the environment can be just as much fun for adults as it is for kids. It gives parents a chance to learn something they may have been interested in or share some of their knowledge. There are a lot of different ways for parents to help their children appreciate the world around them. Many schools incorporate some aspect of environmental awareness in their curriculum, but parents play the most important role in leading their children toward environmental stewardship.
Field trips can be a great way to expose kids to the wonders of the environment firsthand. To get the most out of the excursion, the location and length of a visit should be age-appropriate. Consider taking children to a science museum, particularly one that’s geared at least partially toward a child’s interest. Here children are allowed to see, touch, and even crawl on or climb through nature exhibits. The Florida Museum of Natural History (www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu) on the campus of the University of Florida is home to a life-size limestone cave. Children and parents can walk through it, looking at geologic formations and searching for bats and other animals. The museum also has a screened-in butterfly rain forest that houses subtropical and tropical trees and plants that support hundreds of free-flying butterflies. Many museums also offer docents who will lead a tour, telling stories and providing information.
If you are looking for the real thing, take a trip to a park and experience nature firsthand on a nature walk looking for bugs and other wildlife. Some parks are home to rocks and formations that offer their own learning experience. Some parks regularly offer ranger-led walks, or one can be scheduled ahead of time, that will point out what the park has to offer. What better way to learn about the environment than seeing it firsthand with a professional?
Hands-on activities can really pique a child’s interest. Exploring a park can lead to picking up litter and checking for animal footprints as well as discussions on recycling and protecting animal habitats.
Local farms offer another outing. Taking children out to pick local fruit can show them how food is grown and harvested. They will learn what grows in their region with respect to the seasons. Even a trip to the grocery store can be a learning experience if you point out the labels and talk about where the fruits and vegetables were grown.
Some zoos offer children’s camps, where kids can be zookeepers for the day and learn about the animals, their environment, and the threats they face. Parents can also take advantage of open houses offered at local animal rehabilitation centers and veterinary schools to give children a little more insight into the environment.
Reading to your kids can be fun and purposefully green! Books that help nurture naturalists can range from warm and fuzzy stories from authors like Eve Bunting and James Herriot to more informative nature books series such as DK Eyewitness books and Owlet Press books. Childsake offers lists of environmental and nature books for children, organizing them by category (www.childsake.com). Your local librarian may also have some suggestions.
Magazines introduce kids to environmental topics in quick gulps. Ranger Rick, Kids Discover, and National Geographic Kids give children the opportunity to learn about all different aspects of the natural world around them and ways to take care of it.
The Internet also offers an array of sites that teach environmental lessons. Many state and local regulatory agencies have pages expressly for children. The EPA sponsors Environmental Education at www.epa.gov. Nonprofit organizations also offer information designed for children. Audubon Adventures (www.audubonadventures.org) offers lessons for kids in kindergarten through twelfth grade that can be incorporated into classroom activities.
Snacks now come in convenient portion-controlled packages. Many teachers even request that group snacks be provided to the classroom already prepackaged and individually wrapped. Not only do single-portion packages cost a lot; they also produce an excessive amount of waste as all of the single wrappers are tossed in the trash. So while grabbing a snack out of the pantry and heading out the door may be convenient, there are more environmentally friendly alternatives.
You can buy snacks in bulk, or at least more than a single-serving container, and pack individual servings in reusable containers yourself. You can also make snacks at home and pack them in lunches or take them to the park. The same goes for drinks. There’s no need to buy juice boxes or bottled water. Use washable bottles and fill them with 100 percent juice or tap water to wash down your snacks. If you’re looking for suggestions for packing a healthy lunch for younger kids, check out www.bentology.com. The website offers colorful and innovative lunchboxes and containers as well as menu support.
Many children take lunches that are completely prepackaged from drink to dessert. They produce a hefty amount of trash because nothing is reusable and much of the lunch often goes uneaten. Moreover, these lunches contain very little nutrition and a lot of fat and preservatives. When packing a child’s lunch, take advantage of reusable containers and only pack what you think your child will eat. This will set a precedent so that when kids begin packing their own lunches, they’ll go for the reusable containers and use portion control automatically.
Parents can also invest in plastic lunchboxes or reusable bags for their child’s lunch. Reusing brown paper bags several times and then recycling them is another option.
Teenagers may take a lead role in your family’s learning curve when it comes to going green. Through high school and local community programs, they’re on the forefront and see conservation as their generation’s greatest contribution.
Parents may also lend a hand in creating and directing opportunities for teens. Becoming involved with certain groups can help improve teenagers’ self-esteem and introduce them to other teens with similar interests. Some opportunities may offer insight to future careers, while others may help students accrue volunteer hours needed for school or college. Teens can do environmental research for a science fair project. Topics can include burying waste to determine how long it takes to degrade or watering plants with acidic liquid to determine the effect of acid rain. By performing the research and the experiment, students can learn environmental lessons firsthand.
If teenagers want to experience the outdoors and learn about the environment, they can participate in a parks program. Some programs include helping maintain facilities or teaching and leading children, while others focus on adventure. Many national parks partner with NatureBridge to offer students overnight trips to explore the ecosystem. Backpacking, rafting, and rock climbing trips can be found, and some include options for campers to perform research that could lead to college credit. More information on these programs is available online at http://naturebridge.org.
Rather than sit on the sidelines listening to adults, teens can be active participants in environmental, humanitarian, and animal causes. Teens can join organizations geared toward their age group or they can mix it up with other ages. Many organizations such as the Humane Society have a special branch just for teens. The Humane Teens organization provides teens with information on starting projects that can help animals in their own town.
A pediatrician is an important figure when it comes to raising a child. Parents rely on the pediatrician to provide accurate answers to their questions. But medicine, like other practices, has different methods and approaches, so when you are choosing a pediatrician select one who shares your beliefs. Pediatricians should be patient in answering your questions as well as validating your concerns, and while doctors may be experts in their field, the parent-doctor relationship should be a partnership.
Like other doctors, there are pediatricians who practice holistic medicine. These doctors have received medical degrees and have continued their education with holistic coursework. Holistic doctors use conventional medicines and immunizations, but they also consider the whole child and how he or she fits in the environment. Doctors who practice holistic or complementary medicine encourage patients and families to include lifestyle as part of the healing process and encourage prevention over treatment if possible.
Many mainstream doctors are trying to decrease the amount of drugs they prescribe, especially when it comes to cases of mild depression. Studies have found that exercise or even joining a club helps alleviate symptoms. This is particularly promising when it comes to medicating children.
Complementary medical practitioners may also include positive visualization, chiropractic, and probiotics as part of their regimen. They work with parents on other alternative treatments for chronic illnesses to help alleviate the cause rather than the symptoms. Often, there are natural and herbal remedies that can relieve a baby’s discomfort, from diaper rash to colic. Ask your doctor or visit your local health food store to see what remedies they can suggest.
Another option to traditional medicine is seeking the services of a doctor of osteopathy (DO). DOs obtain educations similar to traditional medical doctors and can perform the same duties. The difference lies in their approach to medicine—much like a holistic practitioner, a DO tends to take a step back when diagnosing a problem to look at the big picture. They tend to become general care practitioners, focusing on preventive medicine and psychological and social factors relating to their patients.