Follow these simple tips to give your newborn a head start by creating a safe, healthy and non-toxic haven, free from hazards that could interfere with his or her mental and physical development.
Paint While lead is no longer a concern in conventional paint, you should be concerned about volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - toxic fumes that release gas from common household items such as paint or a new vinyl shower curtain. Use low (or no) VOC paints and make sure that your baby’s nursery is well ventilated.
Bedding Buy organic cotton or natural wool mattresses instead of mattresses that are treated with chemical fire retardants (such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers) that accumulate in our bodies and have been shown to affect the nervous system. Use Bamboo or organic cotton sheets and blankets. They are environmentally sound and won't irritate your baby's sensitive skin.
Carpeting Carpets can harbor dust mites and allergens, and new synthetic carpets can also release VOCs. Keep your baby's room carpet-free, and add an area rug for color and warmth. Carpet tiles are an eco-friendly option, since they can be used as an area rug and the tiles can be individually cleaned when necessary. If you insist on wall-to-wall carpet, go with one made of natural fibers such as wool, cotton, hemp or jute.
Toys Make sure that your baby’s toys are made from materials that are nontoxic. Don't buy toys or teething rings made from PVC, which contain phthalates, an ingredient in plastic that can affect reproductive and developmental health. Soft organic cotton toys are a nontoxic alternative. If you buy wooden toys, look for wood that comes from FSC-certified forests, and paint and finishes that are nontoxic (or toys that are unpainted).
We are absolutlely delighted to annouce our newest distribution partners - The Green Diaper Store and Angel Bunz - both owned and operated by Lisa Carey. Lisa tried Bottoms Up eco friendly washable cotton baby wipes and was so impressed that she decided to cary them on her natural baby care sites!
When Lisa learned about all the chemicals and toxins used in paper diapers and other baby products, Lisa was motivated to reduce her carbon footprint and provide a more environmentally friendly approach to raising her two children, Michael (6) and William (3), and live a greener lifestyle. From choosing cloth diapers and napkins to safer cleaning and bath and beauty products to banishing plastic bags, Lisa learned that leading a greener lifestyle requires a holistic approach.
The Green Diaper Store and Angel Bunz both offer a large selection of cost effective, environmentally friendly cloth diapers and other family friendly green product alternatives to alot of the big box products. In addition to actual products, Lisa also offers regular cloth diaper workshops and consults with parents and educators about the benefits of using cloth and chosing a system that best fits into any lifestyle and budget.
Lisa's mission is simple: To change the world one bottom at a time! We're delighted to help her acheive her mission! We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership! Thanks Lisa!
Marybeth Hamilton was "intrigued" by our Bottoms Up natural cloth baby wipes for some time before she added them to her Baby Goodbuys 2009 Holiday Gift Guide! Says Marybeth, "While cloth diapers aren't for everyone, I think most environmentally conscious moms would give reusable wipes a try. Especially ones that make it easy on mom." That's the Bottoms Up reusable washable baby wipes alternative concept in a nutshell!
Marybeth had her first baby in July 2008 and quickly realized that having a baby just wasn't as expensive as everything she'd read and heard. She decided to share her knowledge and shopping expertise with others and started Baby Goodbuys where "bargains and advice to save big on baby" abound!
We're tickled to be a part of the Baby Goodbuys 2009 Holiday Gift Guide, and recommend you visit Marybeth's site for other great gift ideas!
The holidays mean family and fun, but they also mean more travel in planes, trains, and automobiles which contribute to global warming by emitting carbon dioxide. Unless you can walk or bike, you can’t travel carbon-free; but you can minimize your emissions with these simple strategies:
Avoid Traffic If possible, start your trip a day earlier and/or return a day later to avoid heavy traffic. When a car is stuck in traffic its fuel consumption rate can be double the rate at steady cruising speeds.
Go Hybrid If you can, leave the SUV at home and drive a hybrid or fuel-efficient conventional car instead. In addition to consuming more gas, SUVs emit up to four times more carbon than the most efficient hybrid. If you don’t own a hybrid, consider renting one. If you’re traveling solo, flying is actually better than driving any car—regardless of the distance traveled.
Fly Coach First-class seating requires twice the space of coach and therefore produces twice the amount of carbon emissions per passenger, so always choose coach. Next, minimize the length of your trip, carbon-heavy takeoffs, landings and ground operations by flying non-stop, or the most direct route.
Get on the Bus No matter how many people are traveling with you, a bus is a great alternative for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. A couple traveling by bus, for instance, generates between 50 and 75 percent less carbon than flying or driving (especially on trips under 500 miles). Bus fares are often cheaper than airline tickets, and many now have similar amenities.
Greener homes are in the spotlight these days, but what about the other places where many of us spend huge chunks of our time, like our offices? Some simple changes of habit can save energy and resources at work and these small five steps can be multiplied by persuading the powers-that-be at your workplace to adopt environmentally friendly (and often cost-effective) policies.
1. Be bright about light Artificial lighting accounts for 44 percent of the electricity use in office buildings. Make it a habit to turn off the lights when you're leaving any room for 15 minutes or more and utilize natural light when you can.
2. Maximize computer efficiency Computers in the business sector unnecessarily waste $1 billion worth of electricity a year. Make it a habit to turn off your computer—and the power strip it's plugged into—when you leave for the day. Otherwise, you're still burning energy even if you're not burning the midnight oil. Be sure to check with your IT department to make sure the computer doesn't need to be on to run backups or other maintenance. Also, during the day, setting your computer to go to sleep automatically during short breaks can cut energy use by 70 percent. Remember, screen savers don't save energy!
3. Print smarter The average U.S. office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of copy paper a year. Make it a habit to print on both sides or use the back side of old documents for faxes, scrap paper, or drafts. Avoid color printing and print in draft mode whenever feasible. Also, buy chlorine-free paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled content and consider switching to a lighter stock of paper or alternatives made from bamboo, hemp or organic cotton. Recycle toner and ink cartridges and buy remanufactured ones.
4. Go paperless when possible Make it a habit to think before you print: could this be read or stored online instead? When you receive unwanted catalogs, newsletters, magazines, or junk mail, request to be removed from the mailing list before you recycle the item. Make it a policy to post employee manuals and similar materials online, rather than distribute print copies. They're easier to update that way too.
5. Ramp up your recycling Make it a habit to recycle everything your company collects. Just about any kind of paper you would encounter in an office, including fax paper, envelopes, and junk mail, can be recycled. So can your old cell phone, PDA, or pager. Also, make it a policy to place recycling bins in accessible, high-traffic areas and provide clear information about what can and can not be recycled.
Follow these simple tips to give your newborn a head start by creating a safe, healthy and non-toxic haven, free from hazards that could interfere with his or her mental and physical development.
Avoid Traffic
Greener homes are in the spotlight these days, but what about the other places where many of us spend huge chunks of our time, like our offices? Some simple changes of habit can save energy and resources at work and these small five steps can be multiplied by persuading the powers-that-be at your workplace to adopt environmentally friendly (and often cost-effective) policies.
