It’s Easy Being Green: Five Tips for Eco-Friendly Parenting

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The Go Green campaign is sweeping the nation, changing everything from automobiles to cleaning products to parenting.

Yes, parenting.

I bet you weren’t aware that parenting could go green! But Green Living is here to stay, and many parents want to make it the norm by implementing actions now so their children find it the norm for a lifetime.

The great news is that there are several easy adjustments that you can make that will have a positive impact on the environment and will make you a family that goes green.

1) Go Cloth
Using cloth diapers instead of disposables will keep almost 18 billion disposable diapers out of the landfills—each year. According to Mothering Magazine, all those diapers will take at least 500 years to decompose.

Fitted cloth diapers are the less expensive and more eco-friendly alternative. Made out of all-natural, durable cotton, the diapers are machine washable and great on baby’s skin. And to keep messes away, simply use a waterproof and leak-proof diaper cover.

The good news for you? Using cloth diapers can save more than $2,000 each year compared to the cost of disposable diapers.

2) Purchase Organic Foods and Products
Organic products are certified-made without harmful chemicals, leaving a smaller a carbon footprint on the planet and keeping you and your family safe from unhealthy ingredients.

Organic foods are grown without pesticides or artificial fertilizers and have low amounts of preservatives and additives. The USDA's National Organic Program ensures products are organic, giving you peace of mind as you attempt to go green.

3) Buy Products with Limited Packaging
Packaged goods seem to have more and more wrapping, and when it comes to baby items, the safety concerns seem to dictate even more packaging than before. Most of that packaging can be recycled though, so be sure to recycle as much as possible, especially when unwrapping all those baby gifts!

4) Watch Those Grocery Bags
The Environmental Protection Agency points out that more than 500 billion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year. To keep your bags from adding to this waste, reuse to take lunches to school or work, to line smaller trashcans, and to take small and light items around town. Consider using canvas bags for your groceries or reuse the plastic bags from your last trip.

5) Conserve Energy and Water
Most energy used in the home is not renewable, so it’s important to conserve as much as possible.

Begin good conservation habits now so that your children see it modeled and learn by your example. Make it a habit to turn off lights and electronics when you leave a room for more than two minutes. Unplug any item not in regular use, as much power is drawn from the outlet itself. According to the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, changing to a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl) will save around 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year because they use 60% less energy.

Future generations will benefit from what we teach our children today. If we teach our children to love and respect the earth, they will have a better understanding and will then pass that on to their children. By protecting the environment today, you will be creating a better life for your children tomorrow.

By Michelle Montoya for BabyBestBuy.com