Calling all new parents!
Or anyone. Because who wouldn’t want to save money while keeping their family healthy?
Parenting and environmental sustainability can often butt heads. Everywhere we look, it’s disposable diapers, plastic toys and uneaten food.
Plus, a lot of baby and home products contain a concerning amount of toxic chemicals (AKA xenoestrogens AKA endocrine disruptors AKA not good for human hormones!).
Lucky for Mother Earth (and us), there are plenty of affordable and healthful ways to lessen your environmental impact with the choices you make to care for your baby and family. Talk about a win-win-win.
Let’s take a quick look at your kitchen, your nursery and beyond.
Two Exciting Eco-Friendly Exchanges for the Home
Sustainable Groceries
This is one of my sustainable obsessions, and please know that I am not sponsored by this company. In fact, they have no idea I exist. I am truly sharing out of my pure customer satisfaction and because I’m an eco-nerd.
30-40% of the US food supply is wasted. Um, that is a LOT of uneaten food, wasted money and environmental damage.
Imperfect Foods is a customizable grocery delivery service that is on a mission to fight food waste by providing you with high-quality, nutritious groceries at a cheaper cost than the grocery store. Sounds unbelievable, but it’s true!
Each week, you decide exactly what items you want, based on whatever inventory is available that week. These items are available at low cost because stores no longer want them: think too-small avocados, blemished fruit, excess inventory grains, or nearer expiration dates. Just a few foods in my box this week: 3 avocados (for $1.50 total!), sprouted whole-grain hamburger buns, organic caramel chocolates, cilantro and a pound of mandarins.
Get $10 off your first Imperfect Foods box by ordering through this link! Yay!
Non-Toxic Cleaning
This is another of my favorites, and I’m still not sponsored. And they also don’t know I exist. But after years of feeling grossed out by the harsh chemicals in home cleaning supplies-- which, by the way, aren’t required by the US government to list ingredients or follow safety standards-- I have finally phased out of toxic and bleach-based cleaning products and have embraced this awesome product: Branch Basics!
Perks of Branch Basics’ Concentrate:
No fragrance or preservatives: Add essential oils if you want a scent!
Totally non-toxic: Your baby could literally eat it. (Not that I’d suggest that.) And it’s biodegradable!
Effective for so many uses: Dishes, counters, showers, hand soap, shampoo… this truly can do it all. (I’m not kidding, this worked better in my shower than any toxic cleaner I’ve tried.)
Lasts SO long: One bottle of concentrate could probably last me a year.
Check out the Branch Basics user guide that shows all the ways their Concentrate can be diluted to clean pretty much everything in your house and on your body.
Get $10 off your Branch Basics order by using this code-- more yay!
Simple Swaps for Your Baby
Baby Wipes
Though convenient, disposable wipes create a lot of waste and sometimes have toxic chemicals. They’re also not necessary; save your dollars by opting for baby washcloths with soap and warm water, which actually clean a bottom better!
You can save time in the moment by prepping washcloths in advance. Store your cloths damp in a wipe warmer (which will make baby more comfortable, too) in a mix of organic soap and baby-friendly essential oil if you’d like a scent (three DIY options here).
Keep a laundry bin next to the changing table, or in the diaper bin if you’re using cloth diapers. Store a few wipes in a wet bag for when you head out of the house. Craft your own kit or find a small business.
Diapers
Okay, you’ve probably heard of cloth diapers before-- but have you given them a chance?! Stay with me here. Disposable diapers are one of the top landfill-fillers, and you can save a lot of money-- potentially thousands of dollars-- and majorly reduce your landfill waste with cloth diapers.
Cloth diapers get fully cleaned when washed, so they can be reused and passed down through multiple kids. They’re easy to find and buy used online or from other local parents. Washable (reusable) liners go in to increase absorbency and make clean-up even easier. And guess what: cloth diapers are more comfortable for your baby to wear! Just think, would you want to replace your soft undies with disposable plastic blends?
Find new or used cloth diapers locally, purchase online, or consider a diaper service where they’ll deliver clean diapers and take away dirty ones each week.
PS: Have you heard of Elimination Communication? Basically, it’s possible to potty-train your child from birth. Check it out and see if it’s right for you!
Lightning Round!
A few quick and easy changes
in a Pin-able format
TL;DR: Cloth diapers aren’t gross, synthetic cleaners smell bad and mason jars are hip.
What changes have you made in your home and life to be more sustainable? Have you found any DIY projects that have saved you money?