How to become a more eco friendly parent.

There's a lot to think about as a parent, do we really want to add climate concerns to the list? It's getting harder and harder to ignore the impact that our lives are having on the planet; But there are a lot of easy changes we can make to become a more eco friendly parent in turn lessening our impact on the planet.

Also, they mostly have the added benefit of saving you some money, as well as plenty of other positives!

_{[Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash]}

How to become a more eco friendly parent.

Quite often, as parents, you're told about the "must have" things that you need to buy to make your life easier. Sustainability has (some say) seen a similar trend. We're told that you need to spend money, or have the latest eco product, to live more sustainably.  A change of mindset is likely to have a bigger impact though, rather than buying the latest "must have" product.  Here are some ideas for changes that you can make: 

1. Shop second hand to become a more eco friendly parent.

There are certain things that are recommended to buy new, such as mattresses and car seats. There is also a LOT that can be bought secondhand. Sometimes you can pick up items that haven't even been used.

Furniture or equipment, clothing, toys, books, pushchairs, potty, baby bath... You name it, it can be bought secondhand.  And it's not just for baby - things like maternity or breastfeeding friendly clothes can be bought secondhand. Lot of schools/local groups are even offering school uniform swaps now.

Don't have time to trawl charity shops?  I get it, it can be hard enough at the best of times.  There are now loads of options for getting things secondhand, either through local Facebook groups, Facebook marketplace, other preloved pages on Instagram, Vinted accounts, websites specialising in preloved baby clothes, good old Ebay, and not forgetting hand-me-downs from friends and family. I find that if you show willing to accept hand-me-downs then you can end up with plenty of options.

What about if you don't like the idea of using something that somebody else has used? It's still worth checking out secondhand. There are so many things that are sold as preloved but are still in their packaging or have a label.

Buying items secondhand not only gives that item a new lease of life but can also save you money.  Some things can be picked up for free and some are considerably cheaper.

To become a more eco friendly parent it's definitely worth having a look for second hand items.

2. Rent/Hire.

There are so many things that can be rented now.  You'll be familiar with library books, but did you know that there are also sling libraries, cloth nappy libraries, toy libraries/subscription companies? There are also new businesses popping up where you can hire baby/kids clothes.

This is a great way to not only try out things before you buy or rent for a short period, but the services are often run by people who want to share their knowledge. They can offer advice and support for example showing you how to properly fit a sling.

Added bonus is that once you're done with the item, you don't have the hassle of figuring out how to get rid of it - just send it back to the library/hire company!

3. Reusable products.

Many of us perhaps started out with trying to do our bit for the environment perhaps by using cotton shopping bags, reusable sanitary products or reusable water bottles and coffee cups.  These work just as well for little ones as well as for adults. I'd like to think it also shows your child that reusables can be the norm.  My little boy has his own water bottle to take out and about with us, just like I do.

But it's not just those reusables that are helpful as an eco friendly parent. Other options are available, such as cloth wipes or cloth nappies, which just get put into the wash instead of the bin. There are a lot of benefits to cloth nappies such as less waste, less plastic, softer on baby's bum, adaptable, cute patterns, can save you money.

The principles with reusables are the same though, whatever the item - reuse so that you're limiting waste!

4. Get outdoors to become a more eco friendly parent.

Being an eco friendly parent isn't just about what and how you buy products;  A great thing you can do is to get outdoors!

This can be through walking or cycling rather than driving, or teaching your kid to enjoy and respect nature.

It obviously has other benefits; It's often free, and can be really good for your mental wellbeing.  When Covid hit, and during lockdown 1 especially, I tried to spend as much time as I could outdoors, both for my son to get some fresh air but also because I felt better for it! It was a win win situation.  But the thing is, it is also an environmentally friendly activity.  We went to the local park so no transport to get there, he was enjoying being outdoors and the outdoor space was providing him with entertainment so no "stuff" required.

But it doesn't just have to be about going to the park, or your local green space. Another idea is to maybe grow something in your garden/balcony/yard? A little pot with some herbs or veg.  I feel like this sounds a bit more "Mother Earth" than I actually am - I'm useless at gardening, but it is a great way for kids to see what nature offers and means you don't have to go to the shops for it!

5. Go home made.

I get it, you're busy, or you simply don't have the time or inclination to do some fancy crafty activity or home baking. There are plenty of other ways to be "homemade" as parent. It might be cooking meals from scratch, or using a muslin or scarf to play peekaboo to keep baby entertained. You could even make a shaker from a bottle and rice.  Have a look around your home to see what you can use! And as your child gets older, it has the benefit of being an activity to do together.

6. Donate or sell any unused items

A great element of being sustainable is not only buying considerately but by passing on in the same way too. Once your little ones have grown up and grown out of things whether it be clothing or sleeping apparatus it's useful to pass on or to donate to those more in need. If you have unused formula for example it's worth looking into sellformula.com as a way to reuse anything you'll no longer use. Equally you could look into second hand selling sites such as Vinted or Facebook Marketplace as a way to sell clothes and toys as a way to keep them in circulation.

So there you have it - 6 ideas if you're looking at becoming more eco friendly. It's not about perfection or having things that you MUST do, and there are other steps you could choose to take instead, but hopefully these ideas can help to get you started.  You might also find that it's things you already do but maybe not for eco-friendly reasons, so you're a step ahead already and it all adds up!

^{[Elements of this post have been contributed by Mara Gosling]}