Small Changes - Tips for becoming more environmentally friendly

by the Baby Gurus

Pregnancy is an ideal time to consider how environmentally friendly you really are. You are bringing a new life into this world and you want it to be the best that it can possibly be. In the process of assessing and preparing your home for the new arrival, you will become more aware of waste. Why not sit down and make a plan of action to improve the environment for you child?

Here are our top 10 simple tips:

1. Plastic bags are out, re-usables are in.  
2. Go washable. Ditch disposables. This goes for real nappies instead of disposable, dish-cloths over kitchen paper, cloth napkins instead of the paper.
3. Ditch the plastic water bottles. Pop a flask under your pram or in your bag. For kids use washable drinks bottles or cups.
4. Grow your own. Get kids involved in their food (this has been shown to help fussy eaters). Begin with simple herbs, rosemary or mint and then venture into fruit and vegetables.
5. Turn your thermostat down.  It is estimated we could all save up to £250 per year.
6. Reduce chemicals in your home. Good old soap and water cleans well and does not affect aquatic life when it gets in to the water system.
7. Recycle Recycle! Take time to set up a good recycling system at home.  Find out exactly what can be recycled locally and let your children join – they love. Buy recycled products.
8. Pass on to a friend. Instead of throwing something in the bin - stop and think, can someone else use it? Could it go to the charity shop? Unused toys go to toy sales or a children’s hospital.
9. Buy bigger. If you buy products of any kind, get the bigger sizes as this reduces the frequency in which you bin a product and its packaging.
10.Breastfeed. no bottles or empty tins for breastfeeding mums. Scottish mums are lucky to have the law of their side - The Breastfeeding Scotland act allows mothers to breastfeed freely anywhere without the fear of being asked to leave.