Green Treehouse

Moms (and dads, too!) are powerful. Moms kiss boo-boos. Moms work really hard. Moms are a powerful consumer group. Moms can save the planet. Moms can make a difference. Really. And, without much effort, too.

Here are 5 Ways Moms–or dads, grandparents and caregivers, too–can help protect the environment and make a huge difference in the lives of future generations.

1. Dodge the paper or plastic question. BYOB. Bring your own bag when you go shopping. You can get your hands on an awesome tote when you shop at BabyEarth.

2. Go, go, go compact fluorescent. Reach for an energy efficient compact fluorescent light blub the next time you need to change a bulb. Compact fluorescent bulbs use significantly less
energy than traditional light bulbs and will save you money over the bulb’s lifespan.

3. Clean green. Skip the toxic chemicals. Clean smart. Opt for environmentally friendly household cleaning products, like BabyGanics All Purpose Cleaner.


4. Make recycling a habit. Recycling goes a long way toward Earth preservation. Recycling means less trash winds up in landfills. Plus, if you pay for your trash, recycling can actually save you money because you’ll have less trash.

5. Donate! When your babies outgrow gear, don’t trash it…give it away! BabyEarthRenew helps moms de-clutter and rewards moms for their environmental efforts!

Now it’s your turn, moms and dads. What’s your tip for saving the planet?

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If you’re an avid mommy blogger or reader of blogs, you very well know that this week is BlogHer, a major blogger conference that is expected to be jammed packed with mommy bloggers. To honor those bloggers and the growing list of amazing eco-oriented mommy (and daddy) bloggers out there, Green Treehouse wants to give some linky love this week by doing shout outs to favorite green baby-related blogs.

Got a favorite green blog or want to get yours noticed? Drop a note to babyearthblog [*at*] gmail [*dot*] com.

Here are today’s faves:

Adventures in Baby Wearing. This blog’s author, Stephanie, says, “It’s fun to be green and wear your babies.” I couldn’t agree more. Check out my past Green Treehouse post Attachment Parenting 101.

Eco-Chick. Check out Chicky’s latest family-friendly post on the Five (New) Rules for Driving Green. Hey, who doesn’t need extra food for thought on making driving greener these days?

Little Elephants. Okay, not a totally green site, but check out some of the great kid-friendly crafts that use recycled elements. Gotta love easy green projects to do with children!

5 Minutes for Going Green. A cool new site that helps time-pressed moms figure out how to go green.

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That pink positive sign on a home pregnancy test means someone, probably mom-to-be holding the test stick, is about to get really busy.

With baby comes a lot of planning and decision making. Like deciding when to schedule prenatal appointments. Deciding what color to paint the nursery. Selecting a baby name–or names…just in case! Figuring out who to include on the baby shower invite list. And, last but not least, determining whether to plan a natural birth (a.k.a. unmedicated), and if so, figuring out what natural childbirth method seems like a comfortable approach.

For new moms thinking about natural childbirth, the following brief review of four popular natural childbirth methods might help simplify planning for baby:

1. Lamaze. A method that teaches ways to decrease pain and improve control during labor through deep breathing and concentration.

2. Alexander Technique. A method to help pregnant, as well as non-pregnant women, discover how to release muscular tension, increase breathing capacity, and calm the body in preparation for effective pushing.

3. Bradley Method. This method helps to provide families and couples simple and effective natural birth techniques. Classes include workbooks, information on pain management, and information on labor coaches/doulas.

4. Hypnobirthing This method (a.k.a. Mongan Method) helps build an understanding of how to trust birth and the birthing body, essentially replacing resistence and fear with relaxation.

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Everyone knows that driving has become more expensive lately, thanks to rising fuel costs. Driving less, carpooling, or using public transportation are helpful alternatives, but often there’s just no way around driving a vehicle. Like when the only way you can get your colicky baby to sleep is to drive toward the nearest bumpy road.

For the times you have to drive, here are five tips to make those drives “greener”:

1. Keep your tires inflated. Properly inflated tires actually save you money (fuel efficiency).
2. Avoid Rush Hour. Stop and go traffic lowers fuel economy and increases harmful emissions.
3. Plan trips. Lump errands together, so you’ll have to make fewer trips during the week.
4. Enjoy fresh air. When possible, skip the A/C. The Air Conditioner increases fuel consumption.
5. Change your oil. Oil and filter changes may seem like an added budget expense, but can actually help improve fuel economy.

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Over the weekend I picked up a copy of Raising Baby Green by Alan Greene, M.D. As soon as I saw the book on the bookshelf, I knew I had to get it. If only I had a few uninterrupted minutes to sit down and read it today, beyond the quick skim….

Pack a Green Hospital Bag

What is really neat about this book is that it includes Earth-Friendly advice for pregnancy and labor and delivery. That’s pretty cool, don’t you think? For example, it features a “Going Green” Hospital Bag List that reminds expecting moms to pack high-energy organic snacks and filtered water in the hospital bag.

Here are some other “Green” items expecting moms can include in the hospital bag:

* organic or natural toiletries
* massage oil, like Maclaren Beginning’s Cocooning Massage Oil
* organic or natural lip moisturizer
* a digital camera - take lots of photos, print only the ones you want
* an organic onesie for baby

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With more “green” products appearing on retailer shelves, you might think that as long as the product is stamped “green”, “natural” or “eco-friendly” on the label that the product is as good as it gets in terms of health and the environment.

But did you know that there are multiple shades of green? If you continue reading a label or product description past the “green” label, you might just discover that “green” isn’t created equally. For example, cleaners marked as “natural” might also contain synthetic ingredients, meaning they are possibly “less green” than a cleaner that doesn’t contain synthetics.

So, how do you distinguish between forest green and sea foam hues? BabyEarth has done the hard part for you, assembling information on hundreds of baby products and brands. BabyEarth wants to help you get to know manufacturers so you can make informed choices –because as a parent, you certainly have a lot of choices to make. Check out the BabyEarth brand guide to learn about your favorite brands…and discover new ones!

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If you’re looking for sporty BPA-free water bottles, I’ve done the homework for you–so you can spend your time at the park or beach with your child instead of doing research. Here are my top three summer picks:

1. The SIGG Bottle. Swiss-engineered, this bottle is eco-friendly and reusable. My kids have already put their bottles through the test (including a serious throw down a concrete hall) and I’ve yet to see a dent.

2. The N-Gen Nalgene Bottle. Available in great colors, these newly designed (and sleek) bottles are BPA free.

3. The CamelBak Better Bottle. These BPA free bottles are so hot looking, you’re bound to find all eyes on you–well, your bottle at least–at the playground.

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While cleaning today, I stumbled across my daughter’s pacifier. She actually never used it. I bought it just in case. Now that I think about it, my babies just don’t like them for some reason. Could it be genetic? Finding the pacifier got me thinking about eco-friendly pacifiers. Say, hypothetically speaking, my babies had even the slightest interest in pacifiers, I would have ensured that every pacifier that came into contact with their little mouths earned high marks for being health friendly (e.g., eco-friendly, BPA free)–not to mention safe and cute. But when you’re talking pacifiers there’s more to think about.

Given that pacifiers inevitably wind up at the bottom of the diaper bag, coated with lint or old cracker crumbs, or on the floor–often on the yuckiest of floors, like public restroom or grocery store floors, there are also immediate health concerns (GERMS!) to think about.

That’s where this adorable JJ Cole Essentials Pacifier Pod comes into play:

Cute, eh? By the way, it comes in seven colors at BabyEarth.

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A friend of mine believes the carpet in her new home is responsible for the start of her child’s allergies. She’s not the only mom concerned about flooring materials and health, or who blames carpet for respiratory problems. While carpet is great for protecting new crawlers and new walkers from bumps and bruises as they explore the world around them, there is plenty of research out there to suggest links between carpet flooring and health issues.

Air quality is the major problem. Carpet emits Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), chemicals that are used in manufacturing and preparing the carpet. Many VOCs are irritants. Some are toxic. Exposure symptoms can include headaches and eye, nose, and throat irritation. Molds and fungi that get trapped in carpet are also potential irritants.

Conscious flooring decisions can go a long way toward improving indoor air quality. If you’re thinking about that new nursery or child’s room, here are three eco-friendly alternatives to consider:

1. Bamboo. Considered a green choice when it comes to flooring. Recyclable, renewable and biodegradable.

2. Cork. Also considered a green flooring choice. Renewable, hypoallergenic and toxic free.

3. Low-VOC carpet. Read the label before you buy to confirm it has been tested by the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Indoor Air Quality testing program. Look for the CRI icon imprinted inside a tiny green house, which indicates the product passes the low emissions standard. Also consider wool, cotton, camel’s hair, sisal, hemp or seagrass.

If you’ve picked an eco-friendly flooring alternative for your child’s room, leave a comment and tell us all about it!

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A lot of moms (and dads, too) have been asking this question lately. Consumerism has long had a bad rap–at least when mixed into a discussion about saving the Earth’s resources. But going green through buying green can be a good thing, especially when it comes to buying things you’d ordinarily buy. Like diapers and wipes.

Going green doesn’t have to mean throwing out everything you already own and starting new. Although you can certainly do that. For me, part of going green means making conscious choices, from now going forward, when it comes to buying for my family and growing babies. It means looking beyond a price tag and asking sometimes difficult questions, like is this really better for my baby?; Is paying a few cents more now worth the potential health and environmental benefits?; Will buying ‘x’ over ‘y’ send a message to the manufacturer about my concerns?

Moms are powerful. Maybe even more powerful than they realize. The decisions we make have the potential to have huge impacts on the planet and on future generations. So, the next time you opt to buy an organic product for your family or an eco-friendly product for your baby–or even spend a few extra seconds thinking about the consequences of a purchase, keep in mind that you are making a difference through spending money. Consumerism doesn’t have to be a bad thing, especially when you’re buying things you’d purchase anyway, like baby essentials, and buying with green in mind.

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