| Having kids is expensive. You can find all kinds of | | | | friendly. I use it with all my laundry, not just the diapers. |
| numbers for it, some covering just the first couple of | | | | If you're in an area with a water shortage you may |
| years, others including the cost to raise to adulthood | | | | need to consider buying environmentally friendly |
| and even getting into projected college costs. They're | | | | disposables instead. Not as friendly to the wallet, but in |
| always pretty intimidating estimates when you think | | | | some areas water supply is a big issue. |
| about it. | | | | Accept Hand Me Downs |
| Some costs can't be avoided. Kids have to eat, after | | | | My kids get tons of hand me down outfits, especially |
| all, and they need clothing and shelter. But you do have | | | | my youngest. It's really amazing how much this saves. |
| control over a lot of this. Considering the environmental | | | | Babies in particular don't really need new outfits, and an |
| impact at the same time can actually help you to save | | | | outfit can go through a few babies before showing |
| money. | | | | significant wear because they outgrow them so fast. |
| These are some ways to be a green parent that | | | | Toys can also be handed down. |
| aren't going to increase the costs: | | | | Buy Used |
| Breastfeed | | | | What you can't get given to you, buy used. Thrift |
| While there are some costs associated with | | | | stores and resale shops can be your friends. You'll |
| breastfeeding, overall it's going to be far, far cheaper | | | | spend less on clothes for your family while being good |
| than formula feeding. Most breastfeeding moms still | | | | to the environment. You'll probably even find some |
| need at the very least a manual pump and sometimes | | | | really great outfits. |
| an electric one, and that means bottles and so forth | | | | Cook from Scratch |
| will also be needed. Not to mention that the mother is | | | | Well, maybe not everything. But as much as works for |
| burning more calories, some of which may come from | | | | your family cook from scratch rather than buying |
| weight gained during the pregnancy, but also comes | | | | convenience foods. This will save on packaging and |
| from any extra food she eats. | | | | can cost less. It also allows you to have more control |
| But you'll likely need fewer supplies since you probably | | | | over what goes into your food, so you can avoid the |
| won't be giving so many bottles. You also won't have | | | | excessive amounts of sugar and salt that go into so |
| empty formula canisters to dispose of. And having | | | | many convenience and prepared foods. |
| baby's food supply always right there is a real help in | | | | It can also be fun, trying out new recipes and teaching |
| those early, sometimes challenging days. | | | | children to cook as they get old enough. |
| Cloth Diapers | | | | Set the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Example |
| Cloth diapering is a bit expensive to get started, | | | | Always remember that Reduce is the first rule for a |
| although you can decide how expensive you want to | | | | reason. Try to live it. Then reuse what you can, and |
| deal with at the start. Just remember that disposables | | | | send off for recycling whatever is possible in your |
| add up over time and would eventually probably cost | | | | area when you're done with it. Many areas accept a |
| you more. You can go with plain prefolds and diaper | | | | wide range of recyclables, but in other areas you'll |
| covers, buy all-in-one diapers or pocket diapers, | | | | really have to work to get much recycling at all done. |
| depending on what you want to deal with and what | | | | But reuse can be so much fun for children! Teach |
| you want to spend. | | | | them to make crafts from things that would otherwise |
| If you choose cloth diapers it's important to consider | | | | be thrown out. It will save you money on craft supplies |
| the detergent you're washing them with. I like to use | | | | and encourage them to think of ways things can be |
| Country Save detergent as it's pretty environmentally | | | | reused. |