Being green starts at home and if you are like many of us, you have children. But, you can adopt green parenting strategies that can help the environment. Here are a few green parenting tips:
Swap Kid’s Clothes
Most kids outgrow clothes before they can stain them or tear them up, so swapping your child’s clothes with family and friends is a great recycling idea. Unfortunately for me, most of my son’s friends are girls, but there are a few younger boys he knows that we give good condition hand-me-downs to.
Another great recycling idea is, as your child ages and starts playing sports, recycle the sports gear – items such as cleats, soccer jerseys, and baseball pants. These can be costly when purchased new and yet they often seem hard to get rid of later, even though they are still in good shape.
Recycle Cribs, Swings, Car Seats, and Strollers
Don’t let the recycling end with the clothes. Although you have to be careful because occasionally certain cribs, swings, car seats, and strollers are recalled, recycling them with family and friends is an excellent idea. Double check the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s web page to make sure the product you are recycling isn’t on a recall list then share away!
Diapers – Cloth vs. Disposable
Ah, the age old debate of cloth vs. disposable diapers. Many moms are jumping on the cloth diaper bandwagon, not only because it is green, but also less expensive and some say, better for the baby. If you just cannot let go of the disposable diapers, consider using less wipes – they fill up landfills too. Use soft cotton fabric squares or use only half a wipe for a quick clean up.
Become a Laundry Nazi
Kids, especially girls, may try on many outfits a day. It is fun for them and all part of being a kid, but it can put a real load on the laundry. But, just because your child wore a shirt, pair of pants, or dress for a few minutes doesn’t necessarily mean you need to put it in the laundry.
While we try to teach them to pick up after themselves, we also need to teach them that dirty clothes go in the hampers. Clothes worn only a few minutes can go right back in the drawer or closet and help cut down on your laundry load.