Many parents are more aware of the impact of their consumption behaviour on society and the environment due to the expectation and birth of their (first) child. But for the arrival of your baby you also need a lot of stuff. How do you do that as environmentally friendly as possible? With these tips you can create a sustainable baby shower.
What does a sustainable baby shower look like?
It is a dowry where both people and nature are taken into account. Choose things that can last longer, create less waste, are easy to recycle, use less power, .... Choosing sustainable products and materials often also benefit your wallet in the long run.
Waste-friendly tips for new babies
Just like planning a pregnancy, planning for zero-waste parenthood is an important step. Plastic won’t be completely avoidable, but you can avoid or minimize most disposable baby and toddler items by planning ahead. Here are some tips:
1. Create a well-thought-out birth list
Only put what you really need here. Then try to stick to this list. Are you unsure whether something is useful? Then don't buy it yet, you can always do that later. This way you prevent buying too much or not using products. You can also ask family or friends which products they didn't really need from their baby purchases. Furthermore, you can often buy very high-quality material second-hand or borrow it for a few weeks/months.
2. Use washable diapers as much as possible
Babies and toddlers use a lot of diapers. A lot! That is why it is interesting not to always use disposable diapers. Washable diapers are reusable and therefore drastically reduce the waste mountain of a baby. This switch also has a positive impact on your wallet. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to change diapers and keep the dirty diaper all day long. That is why it is always useful to have a few disposable diapers at hand to avoid unpleasant moments.
3. Glass or steel baby bottles
Baby bottles are essential, no matter how you choose to raise your baby. Standard baby bottles are made of plastic, and now they are all required to be BPA-free. However, if you don’t want to opt for a plastic bottle, there are other options. Such as glass or steel.
4. Sustainable baby clothes and blankets
It seems like you have to buy new clothes for a baby every 2 weeks. So it is also quite difficult to always find responsible clothing. If you are thinking about having another child, here is the best tip to save and reuse everything. If that is not the case, you can always borrow. Furthermore, the textile industry is so polluting that when you do buy things, you should look for more sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton.
Whether it’s your first child, you’re just starting to consciously consume, or both, raising children and doing so in a low-waste way can seem like a daunting challenge. But with a little planning and research, you can go a long way.
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