Children are like sponges when they are young in that they soak up so much information that it is hard to keep up! They are also inquisitive and will ask question after question until they fully understand what they wanted to know to begin with, and often everything related to the subject in question as well! As a result, this is actually the ideal time to teach them all about the environment and how they can help to prevent damage to it.

The key when encouraging your child to become more environmentally friendly is to make it fun and interesting. If you are creative then they will get involved and are more likely to remember what you have said! The earlier you start the better so take a look at the tips outlined below for a few ideas!

• Invent games! Children love to play games and can relate to them so hiding a message in the game is a great way to get the green message through. For example, you could play I-Spy with green items within the house or paint wildlife… anything that you can think of to get the ball rolling!

• Encourage them to decorate their own rooms with old furniture! They can paint it and alter it themselves as long as they use green items only.

• When you are eliminating things you no longer need and organizing the stuff you have, send them on a treasure hunt. Encourage them to figure out which toys they don’t want any more so other boys and girls can have them, nothing goes to waste.

• Get them to help in your vegetable patch! Give them a patch of their own to nurture so that they can watch the plants grow and feel proud of themselves.

• Involve them in household recycling. It gives them a little responsibility and teaches them about recycling at the same time.

• Buy your children a bike from an early age and take them to the local shops on it regularly. This is much better than driving there and will be fun for them as well.

• Join a local environmental group with your children. There are community groups that are designed for parents and small children and they are of real value when encouraging your children to go green.

• Get creative! Encourage your children to make toys and games from recycled materials and birthday cards for family members from old cards that you have previously received.

All of these activities will engage your children and allow them to see that being environmentally friendly is actually a lot of fun. They will soon be environmental converts for life!

If you walk into any supermarket and take a wander up to the baby aisle then you will undoubtedly see a whole host of baby lotions and potions that all boast to be the softest and smoothest solutions to diaper rash and skin irritation. However, what the tubes and bottles do not say is that they can also be harmful to your baby’s skin as well. They are full of toxins and chemicals that may have a negative affect on their health and well-being. If you are becoming a parent for the first time shortly or have just had a child then you may be interested to know that you can make environmentally friendly baby lotion yourself!

Homemade green baby lotion is kind to the skin and cheap to make as well because it only requires a few household ingredients. It is free of toxins and chemicals as it is 100% completely natural and extremely kind to baby’s soft skin! There are several recipes floating around out there to choose from, but here are just two of the best and most effective ones to try.

1. The Honey Milk Baby Lotion – Now we all know that honey is good for the skin and can leave it smooth and soothe irritated areas, which is why it is perfect for a baby. For a lotion that you can refrigerate and use for up to a week, you will need ½ cup of honey and ½ cup of cream or milk (with the former being a better option). Poor the honey into the milk in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the two are completely blended. Allow the mixture to stand for five minutes before placing in a glass jar with a lid and refrigerating. When completely cool, it will be ready to use!
2. The Lavender Baby Lotion – Again, this one will soothe irritated skin, but it will also protect the skin against further wetness and hold moisture in the skin. Mix 225g of petroleum jelly with nine teaspoons of olive oil, thirty drops of lavender oil and the same amount of chamomile. You do not have to heat this at all, but simply mix it in a bowl. You may want to use a fork to mix because it does take some blending but always needs mixing by hand to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly blended. Again, refrigerate for a few hours and then use on your child. It will keep for up to two weeks so be sure to store it properly in the fridge.

Both of these homemade baby lotion recipes will help to keep diaper rash at bay and bring it under control. Both recipes are cheap convenient and extremely green so you have nothing to lose by trying them!

Every mother to be or new mom will be well aware of the need for nappies for their little one. Nappies, or diapers as they are more commonly known in the United States, are one of the biggest necessities for families with young children, but they can also be one of nature’s greatest enemies! That conflict is a big reason why more and more parents are turning to the old style cloth nappies in an attempt to reconcile their family with their beliefs.

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!

The first thing many individuals think of when they hear the word ecotourism is either the Kenyan safari or the spa-type vacation that is provided by a specific centre and filled with nature and environmentally friendly values. Regardless of which one of those images springs to your mind, it is unlikely that you picture yourself with your newborn baby or toddler. That is actually quite common because ecotourism is viewed as more of an adult vacation rather than a family friendly trip. Today, that does not have to be the case though.

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!

We have all been there and done that when it comes to pets. At one stage or another of our lives we have all had a dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig or some other creature to love and call our own. But then again, some of us have decided that the hassle is not worth it as well! The former usually overrides the latter so we stand by our pets and pass on our love of animals to our children. It is highly likely that you have never considered your pet as a tool to help you become more environmentally friendly!

That’s right – a household pet can help you to become more environmentally friendly. Many households do not think of a pet as an aid in the quest for a greener way of life, but they are. This applies to any pet, but there are some that are greener than others. The more environmentally animals are the rabbits and guinea pigs that generally tend to eat plant matter, but if you already have a dog or cat then you can tap into the benefits they can offer as well, some of which are:

• Use leftover food for their meals. For example, potato peel and vegetable leaves can be given to guinea pigs and rabbits to eat. Dogs will generally eat any leftovers, although some may not be beneficial to their health, pastry leftovers for example.
• Although you may recycle magazines and newspapers, it is not advisable to recycle shredded bills and so on with personal information on it. You could use that paper for bedding for rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs and mice, and it also makes an environmentally friendly cat litter as well.
• You can make an excellent dog cushion out of old materials that you no longer use. Simply use an old quilt cover for the outer casing and fill it with towels, sheets and clothing that are not good enough to donate to charity or recycle.

Of course, there are many more things you can do via your pet to make your household more environmentally friendly, but your pet has a far more valuable function.

If you have young children then you can use the pet to educate them of the values of being environmentally friendly as well. Using your pet as an example will make the importance of looking out for the environment more potent. Children tend to think about things they can relate to and they very often cherish a pet more than everyone else in the house put together! As such, a pet can help you get the green balance just right!

Books are undoubtedly a major part of childhood for the majority of children, though they do tend to lose their appeal as soon as the little ones are old enough to play computer games. They do play an extremely important role in educating children right up until they leave school though so it is important to introduce the written word to them as early as possible. However, new parents have enough to worry about without buying a shelf full of books potentially costing hundreds of dollars. Obviously this is not good for the environment either because books are not always green. There are ways to educate your children the eco way.

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!

If you have recently become a parent or are expecting a child in the very new future then it is likely that you have read articles and books about the importance of baby proofing your home. Babies and toddlers are incorrigible and will get into everything and anything that they should avoid. As such, it is important to make sure that the home environment is safe for them to move about it. You can never be too careful, regardless of how closely you watch over them. However, reconciling the baby proofing of your home with the environment can be extremely difficult as the two tend to conflict.

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!

If you take an active interest in being green and the environment in general then you will probably want to maintain those values throughout all areas and elements of your life. However, if you are about to become a parent or have recently become one, then it is difficult to know where to start! Everything may seem overwhelming at first but as soon as you learn how to be an environmentally friendly parent, you will find it easy to get into a routine.

There is nothing much to environmentally friendly parenting and most of the things you can do to stay green are common sense more than anything. None of the below tips are elements of daily life that easily spring to mind when you have a thousand other things whirling around your head! But they will help to give you an idea of what is involved in environmentally friendly parenting and hopefully inspire you!

• You will not have to think about car-pooling until your child is of school age, but it is worth getting into the habit as soon as possible. Share a car when you have errands to run and your partner or spouse has to go to. You will save money and do your bit to help the environment! Car-pool whenever you can.
• Get into cooking! Using organic ingredients and cooking all of your meals from scratch will help to reduce the amount of rubbish that you are throwing away. Because there will be no convenience foods in your diet, there will be a reduced amount of packaging to throw away. This will also benefit your child, who will be eating good, wholesome foods!
• Unplug every item of electrical equipment when it is not in use. Not only will you be making your home more efficient in terms of the energy usage, but you are also baby-proofing your home by reducing the risk of electrocution that can result from little ones playing with cords.
• Recycle everything! This includes the usual bottles, jars and cans, but also items like baby clothing and toys. There are usually community associations that organise swaps and charitable events, or you could easily take old items to the local charity shops instead to help others as well as the environment.
• Practice green household chores. Instead of using a tumble dryer to dry baby clothes, use an outdoor washing line instead. Not only are you being more energy efficient but also you are improving the quality of your baby’s clothes. They will be softer to the touch and will last much longer.

So now you know some of the best environmentally friendly tactics for, you just have to get your thinking cap on and examine any other ways that you could change your lifestyle and home practices for the good of the environment and your family!

Breastfeeding is obviously the natural choice in infant nutrition. Like many other natural options, it’s also the most environmentally responsible choice. You know you want your baby to have the best “formula,” one that contains no unnecessary or artificial ingredients. With breast milk, you can control the pesticides and chemicals by eating a clean, organic diet.

In addition to the control of ingredients you have with breast milk, you also eliminate a lot of landfill trash. Commercial formula comes in cans or other containers which will be discarded after use. Bottles these days are most likely the disposable plastic bags that fit inside a plastic tube. Even if you use glass bottles, you still have nipples that wear out and must be thrown away.

Natural nursing may be less common than bottle feeding these days, but there doesn’t have to be a mystery surrounding it. For most mothers, the occasional problems, such as discomfort or seeming to not have enough milk, can be easily remedied. For instance, adding nutritional yeast or dairy products to the diet can increase milk production dramatically. Be sure to take a complete vitamin supplement, too.

When it’s time to nurse your baby, you will feel a tingly sensation in the nipple which is followed by a release of milk. This “let-down reflex,” which is the body’s natural response to a crying baby, is not something you can easily control. For this reason, many moms, but by no means all, need to have nursing pads on hand. For green baby care, invest in some good soft cotton nursing pads that can be washed and reused. Look for organic cotton, since standard cotton is a crop that is nearly always heavily doused with insecticides. But be aware that you may not need nursing pads at all.

If you should have discomfort when nursing, there are a number of natural salves on the market designed to soothe sore nipples. If these don’t do the trick, an innovative product called “Booby Tubes” might help. These are organic cotton tubes filled with natural flax seed which can be cooled in the fridge or warmed briefly in the microwave, and then placed in the bra like nursing pads. Cooling or warming the nipples can offer just the relief you need. Booby Tubes have been heartily recommended by many natural mamas.

Nursing your baby can be an important part of raising your family in an environmentally responsible way. It’s also cheaper and extremely convenient. Sometimes it can be intimidating, but with education and determination, you most likely can succeed at breastfeeding your baby.

If you’re raising your children naturally and in an environmentally responsible way, you care about every aspect of their care, including their toys. Good toys should not just be durable and biodegradable when they are no longer needed or worn out. They should also stimulate creativity and cause active learning. Mostly, a good toy should also delight and intrigue the child.

When you shop for toys made of earth-friendly materials, you will probably run across items that are designated for “Waldorf education.” This is a method of teaching children, more of a philosophy, which celebrates non-violence, simplicity, and a free rein on the imagination.

Natural toy makers have designed a number of pleasant playthings that will look attractive in your home as well as nurturing your child’s creativity. Soft toys, for instance, don’t have to be made of garish fake acrylic fur in unnatural colors with weird big plastic eyes. Check out the choices of simple animals, dolls, and gnomes made of organic cottons stuffed with cuddly combed lamb’s wool.

Some creative artisans have even developed soft toys made from recycled wool garments. If you have some sewing ability and enjoy crafting, you might want to get a pattern and make a soft doll. It’s a good way to save money on a toy while creating an heirloom. Always remember to avoid details like buttons that could fall off and become a choking hazard. Eyes and noses are easily created with a few stitches of colored wool yarn.

Wooden toys are also a popular choice for the green home. Look for rolling vehicles small enough to fit toddler hands, with durable wheels that won’t fall off. Many children enjoy rattles and other noisy toys. Look for ones that make a gentle sound that won’t jar everyone’s nerves.

Your baby will turn things into toys that are not typically toys. For instance, one mom found that her little guy would lay still for diapering if he was allowed to hold and examine the tube of diaper rash ointment. This same little boy could turn just about anything into a drumstick and just about any surface into a drum!

Ultimately, the best toy for your child will be impossible to know ahead of time, because children are so unique in the way they respond to playthings. Your child might prefer to play with the pots and pans instead of enjoying that expensive handcrafted hardwood rattle! Hey, toys are personal! Let that little one lead the way in choosing favorites.