GREAT GREEN IDEAS
Throw an eco-friendly baby shower
Great eco-friendly ideas to incorporate into your next baby shower!
THE INVITE
* Invite your guests using recycled paper invitations with non-toxic dyes. A postcard-like invitation doesn't need an envelope, thus cutting down on paper use. Or better yet, send an email invite - no paper used at all! Check out www.evite.com. It's a free electronic invitation service, perfect for the eco-conscious hostess.
THE FOOD AND DRINK
* Buy locally grown or produced organic foods and flowers. Not only will you be ensuring freshness, but you will be supporting local organic farming and reducing the energy usage and air pollution caused by transportation.
* Offer your guests organic wines, liquors, beers, and juices. Don't forget to set up recycling bins for glass, plastic, and aluminum beverage containers!
* Serve your guests food on real plates, with real glasses and real silverware. Sure, you will have to wash them, but you will not be adding to the local landfill.
THE DECOR
* Use greenery and flowers found in your yard.
* Decorate with items the mom can use once baby arrives. Wooden clothes pins can be used to hold place cards at a sit-down shower luncheon or to label food items on a buffet table. The possibilities are endless so be creative!!!
THE GIFTS
* Make sure to mention that it is a "green" baby shower on the invitation, so guests can buy and wrap presents accordingly. Some eco-friendly wrapping options include: recycled paper, cloth diapers and baby blankets.
* Give gently used books as gifts. If buying "new" just isn't your thing, then a previously loved book makes a wonderful gift.
* And last but certainly not least, don't forget to let friends and family know about all the great gift possibilities available at www.littlespeckledfrog.com!
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Create an eco-friendly baby nursery
Ideas and tips for designing a stylish and eco-friendly nursery!
WALLS: Choose paint for the nursery walls that is environmentally friendly and doesn't release poisonous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Try and look for VOC-free paint made from all-natural ingredients such as mineral pigments, beeswax, plant oils, crushed limestone, soy resins and buttermilk. ***IMPORTANT *** If you are pregnant, be sure to have someone else paint for you. Whether VOC-free or not, it is always safer to stay away from paint fumes.
FURNITURE: Make sure you choose nursery furniture made of solid, sustainable wood, treated with non-toxic paint, finishes, or stains.
BEDDING: Use organic cotton crib sheets and bedding. Wash the linens prior to use. Conventional cotton is one of the most heavily pesticide-sprayed crops in the world. Chemical residue can irritate baby's sensitive skin.
If possible, choose a natural mattress made of wool, organic cotton or 100% natural latex. Natural mattresses are more expensive, so a budget-friendly alternative is to select a conventional mattress and purchase an organic mattress protector to go on top and help protect your baby. It is also important to let the new mattress air out for a couple of months before use in the crib.
TOYS: Always choose toys made with natural fibers or wood toys with non-toxic paints. Avoid plastic toys made with PVC (polyvinyl chloride).
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Decrease baby’s exposure to BPA
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a toxic chemical found in some plastics. It is often used in sippy cups and baby bottles. BPA may disrupt neural and behavioral development in fetuses, infants, and children. So what can you do to protect your child? Here are some easy steps you can take to lower your child's exposure to this harmful chemical:
* Purchase only BPA-free sippy cups, bottles, and pacifiers
* Do not microwave baby food in plastic containers
* Avoid feeding your baby with plastics utensils and dishes
* Especially avoid plastics with the #7 in the triangle on the bottom. #1, 2, and 5 are safer choices.
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Create a kid-friendly home
Make your home an eco-friendly, kid-friendly place to live with these simple steps:
* Use natural cleaners labeled chlorine-free, phosphate-free, biodegradable, paraben-free, petroleum-free or organic.
* Use natural insecticide, weed killer and fertilizer on yards. Be sure to your children wash their hands after playing outside.
* Open windows, change air filters and buy indoor plants to purify your home's air.
* Eat organic foods when possible. Avoid processed foods.
* Avoid toys made of plastics. Certain types of plastic can leach toxic chemicals after repeated use. Choose toys made of natural wood (with non-toxic stain/paint), cloth or metal.
Source: "Healthy Child Healthy World", by Christopher Gavigan.
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What is organic?
WHAT IS ORGANIC COTTON?
Simply stated, organic cotton is cotton grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, greatly reducing damage to the environment and human health.
IS ORGANIC REALLY BETTER FOR MY BABY?
You bet it is! While organic products are probably the better choice for all of us (as well as the environment), they are especially important for babies.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 84 million pounds of pesticides were sprayed on conventionally grown cotton in the United States in the year 2000 alone. An astounding 10% of the world's pesticides and 25% of world's insecticides are used to treat conventional cotton each year! And since the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists the adverse effects of pesticide exposure on children to "range from mild symptoms of dizziness and nausea to serious, long-term neurological, developmental and reproductive disorders" (http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/kidpesticide.htm), it is important that you limit your child's exposure to harmful chemicals from birth. Using organic products is the first step in ensuring your baby has a happy, healthy life!
