Being more eco-friendly is definitely in the forefront of a lot of people’s minds at the moment, so how can you be more environmentally friendly as a new parent?
We take a look at five ways that you can be green as a new parent, from reusable nappies to glass bottles. Even just making one small change can make a big difference so don’t feel guilty if you’re not able to do all of these things.
Reusable wipes and nappies
It’s been well publicised how bad wet wipes and nappies can be for the environment, they’re often not biodegradable, are made of plastic and packaged in plastic. Wet wipes also made up more than 90% of the material causing sewer blockages that Water UK investigated in 2017. So swapping to reusable where you can is a great step to being more eco-friendly. Many companies now offer reusable wipes and nappies, these are more cost effective and once you get into the habit of washing them you’ll be converted!
Shop second hand and sell old clothes
We know how hard it can be when you find out that you’re pregnant to not buy all the cute outfits you see. However, you’ll soon realise that your little one only gets round to wearing each item a couple of times because they grow so quickly. Buying clothes second hand is a great way to still get your hands on loads of lovely outfits while being better for the environment. It works the other way too, once your baby has outgrown things in his/her wardrobe give items to your friends and family or sell them to other new mums. Use eBay (get 15% revenue back for your kids) and apps like depop and Market of Mums.
Make your own baby food
Cut down on plastic waste by bulk making your own baby food and freezing batches of it. Not only is this more eco-friendly but you’ll know exactly what’s going in them. We love the recipes on Annabel Karmel’s website. There’s everything there from first foods to age 4+ plus.
Ditch plastic for wood
An area that’s not often thought about is toys, this is somewhere you can be more conscious by ditching plastic for wood. Wooden toys are more expensive but they last longer so make them perfect to pass down. We love Great Little Trading Company’s wooden toys they’re beautiful and have everything from small baby and toddler toys to larger play kitchens and doll houses, plus get 5% back for your kids.
Swap to glass bottles
The thought of glass bottles and babies may make you panic but don’t worry, the glass used for baby’s bottles is tempered which makes them harder to break. Glass bottles are easy to clean, can be sterilised with hot water and are easily recyclable unlike plastic bottles. Glass bottles are easy to get hold of, Amazon sell them and you can also get 2% back for your kids.
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