Minimise your baby's carbon footprint by buying right for the environment

Having a baby brings home how very important it is to care for our earth and make it a place worth leaving to our children. We can make a difference when we buy for our baby.

Every time you buy something it's not just the materials you need to consider, manufacturing process, transport, packaging and maintenance all makes a difference when it comes to caring for the environment.

Buy right the first time
Marketing to parents is big business. Why, because often buying for your baby is an emotional decision rather than a practical one. It’s natural to want the best of everything for a new baby and with so many products on the market it’s hard to make an assessment about what you really need.

To avoid buying products that you don’t use or don’t fit only buy what you need when you need it and do your homework before you buy. When you buy right the first time you save yourself some money, lots of hassle and, very importantly, resources.

Our new baby checklist is a good place to start considering what you really need to buy to be prepared for a new baby.

There's more than just money to save by buying and selling second hand
The second hand baby & kids gear market is buoyant because babies grow out of everything so quickly. Think about it, your bassinet will get used for six months, your baby carrier about the same, clothes 3 months if you’re lucky, toys 6 to 12 months. That’s a lot of resources dedicated to a very few months of your child’s life.

All these items can be bought well second hand through eBay, local markets, specialised baby & kids markets and from family and friends.

You don’t have to compromise, all your favourite brands and designs are available. I know one mum who bought herself a Stokky Sleepi cot, as new, second hand on eBay. Baby no. 2 is currently in it and in a year she’ll pop it back on eBay and get most of her money back which she can reinvest in a child’s bed. That’s recycling in more ways than one.

The second hand cycle flows both ways. Don’t be inclined to hoard too many ‘things’ for babies numbered 2 and 3. Products go out of fashion and safety standards change all the time. Hold onto your very favourites and sell the rest. Selling newer products will give you a better return and maximise the number of parents who can use them. When the time comes around again you can buy back.

Materials matter
Two types of resources are better buys than the rest when it comes to the environment; renewable and organic.

Virgin forest like the Amazon is being cleared at a rate that is too scary to mention to a new parent. Often lumber from those clearings is illegal but it still makes its way into our homes and lives without us ever knowing. Buying renewable resources like plantation timber is sustainable.

Organic is an easy choice. No pesticide is better for your baby and better for the environment. Remember though ‘organic’ can be a very loose label, check the fine print to find out exactly which bits of the product are made using organic materials or ingredients, you might find it less than you would expect.

Pack it up, I'll take it!
Q. How much packaging do baby products need? A. Not nearly as much as they inevitably have.

Often it’s not possible to choose a baby product based on the amount of packaging it comes in. It’s just not practical. What you can do is recycle as much packaging as you can, and in turn, buy products that come in recycled packaging to close the recycling loop.

If you really want to be a rebel you can always leave the packaging at the place of purchase and let the store assistant know that you don’t need or want it. If enough parents do this someone is bound to listen … sometime.

Over and over
It’s good to see so many disposable baby products being replaced with reusable ones. Reusable drink bottles and snack packs can make a huge difference over time.

Nappies are a trickier issue, because the water and detergent used over long periods to clean them means they do have an environmental impact, just a different one to disposables.

For further information check out our feature story Cloth v. disposables; what's the best nappy option?

Buy local
Buying local is more than just about keeping Aussies in jobs. The closer to you a product is made the less distance it has to travel to your home and the lower the carbon footprint.

Nappies made in Germany may be a cheaper option but there are good brands which retail at competitive prices made just around the corner from you and I. If the prospect of 5+ disposable nappies per day going into landfill fills you with horror at least make it a locally sourced landfill.

This is just a really basic, easy to remember list of things you can do to make a difference when you purchase. For some families it’s all they can manage considering their circumstances, for others it’s just a start to what they can do to live a sustainable lifestyle.

When it comes to minimising the impact of your new arrival on their earth it’s true that every little bit counts.