Nappies have been around in cloth form since the Elizabethan era in England. Although they were only squares of linen back then, they have been used ever since. If you are over the age of forty then the likelihood is that you wore cloth nappies when you were a child, but from the 1970s onwards more and more children wore disposable nappies. They were actually introduced in the 1940s but were not affordable for the average family until thirty years later. Now, they are more common than ever and brand after brand adorns the supermarket shelves, but why should we regress and use cloth nappies in the 21st Century?

There are a number of reasons why you should use eco friendly cloth nappies over disposables on your children. Whilst many of them relate to the environment, some also relate to the well-being of your child:

• Disposable nappies take, on average, 500 years to decompose. This is hotly debated because many experts have predicted that they will take much longer than that, but when you consider that disposable nappies actually account for one full black bin bag’s worth of trash every week per child then you get an idea of just how big a problems this is. 90% of nappies will end up in landfill sites so we are degrading the earth.
• Washing a disposable nappy 400 times is comparable to the manufacturing of one nappy in terms of the amount of energy that is used in both processes. This makes the cloth nappy far more energy efficient and in keeping with a greener lifestyle.
• The average baby will use over a thousand disposable nappies in one year, but would only need between twenty and thirty cloth nappies for the same period of time. Of course, some families would purchase more to accommodate physical growth, but the number is still nowhere near as large. In terms of the financial and environmental burden that the former brings, cloth nappies seem infinitely preferable.
• You can purchase environmentally friendly cloth nappies that are made of hemp, wool and organic cotton now so even the material that they are made with will not damage the environment! Not to mention the fact that they would be extremely kind on your little one’s skin.
• Finally, baby faeces that are left as rubbish for two weeks contains around 100 viruses on average. If you think about the fact that the faeces is not going through a proper sewerage treatment plant but is instead filtering through the groundwater system. It could actually make its way into your own water supply at a later date. You may want to seriously consider using cloth nappies. They are better all around for you, your family, and the environment in general so they are by far the better choice!

Having a baby does not put an end to your ecotourism adventure! Some ecotourism holidays are now actively marketed as family or child friendly, and the ecotourist vacation can provide quite an experience for both parents and children. This is because everyone can learn something from the vacation, including the baby.

First and foremost, babies pick up on a change in mood far more quickly than adults do and, as such, he or she will recognize a relaxing environment. Ecotourism resorts are famed for their ability to set people at ease, to help them become one with nature and to relax them. This will pull the family together in one harmonious unit. As such, your baby will benefit from the tranquillity and will indeed be happier for the duration of the holiday. This makes it fun in itself, but there is more!

Various family friendly ecotourism destinations have a range of facilities for small children, all of which make it easier for you to include the children in fun activities and educate them at the same time. Local businesses and individuals benefit from the tourist trade so they are willing to give something back and can communicate with your child in a unique way. By the age of three, it is possible for your child to have a loose grasp on helping out in a wide variety of fun filled activities that involve interaction with the local environment and wildlife. This in itself marks the ecotourism vacation a unique and innovative experience.

Of course, the child friendly ecotourism vacation is not as intensive as an adults only one because children tire easily, but there are areas of the world that welcome children, including babies. Costa Rica is one example. Your baby or toddler can enjoy the colourful side of nature in the eight national parks. They can bird watch and look out for the colourful toucans or watch the monkeys playing in the rainforest. They will be delighted by the activity and learn things, even from an early age.

If you want to make your ecotourism vacation especially fun for your baby or small child then why not go to Lapland? A good number of the tours there are labelled as ecotourism and the children can meet huskies, reindeer and even Santa whilst learning to respect the environment. It is certainly something different yet extremely fun. And the beauty of it is you are giving back to the community as well as providing your family with a firm foundation for education!

There are ways and means to get your hands on recycled books today, which provide a great foundation for educating your children in an eco friendly manner from very early on. For example, books are readily available from charity for no other reason than other individuals have no further use for them and have the same attitude towards recycling that you do! Certain websites also have a used book section now as well so you can buy recycled books online. This will save you significant amounts of money and give your children an eco friendly education for years to come!

There are also books available that have messages within the story as well. These provide another great way to educate your children the eco way because the hidden messages alert them to the plight of the environment and give them a sense of social responsibility to do the best that they can in helping out by recycling and saving energy. The Barefoot Books series is excellent. These books are informative and fun, so they are just what you are looking for!

If you do wish to buy a new book then you should always look for those that are printed on recycled paper. The printing may not always be like new but at least you will have done your part! Similarly, when you have finished with the books you can take them back to the charity shop, sell them online, join a community group that promotes the exchange of resources or give them to a local school. Whichever option you choose, you know they will be going to good use, more specifically to educate another child and thus give the environment a better chance of survival in the future!

Baby proofing involves eliminating rough edges, removing hazards and sealing drawers and cupboards shut, amongst other things of course, but that has traditionally involved a lot of plastics and metals. Neither material is considered environmentally friendly. The following tips will help you to look out for your baby’s welfare and remain true to the environment!

• Sustainable wood is readily available from DIY stores so use it to make your own cupboard latches to prevent your child from getting into them. This is an easy task that would only take a few minutes to complete. The latches would be hard wearing and would not need replacing for the duration of your baby’s childhood.
• You can now purchase wooden baby gates to prevent your child from getting up and down the stairs. There are many that are made of sustainable wood and are acknowledged as environmentally friendly. They are also recyclable when they are no longer needed.
• Why not use old clothing and material that you already have at home to make cushions to protect against some of the sharp edges? For example, you can make cushions to protect your little one from the edges of chairs or use old materials as an effective doorjamb to help protect their little fingers!

As you can see, the tips above are creative and environmentally friendly at the same time. Your home remains cosy and green but also becomes safer for the new arrival. You might even save some money too.

Just remember, there is no need to compromise your baby’s safety while remaining environmentally friendly!