As modern parents, we think a lot about the future generations and how our actions today will impact our child’s tomorrow. At times it feels like a daunting task, saving the world from pollution and global warming. But the good news is that small and simple steps can make a difference. We don’t have to go to extremes to reduce our carbon footprint. Collectively we all just need to make better choices. The future belongs to our children, and it’s up to us to protect it.

Everyday we place a vote with the dollars we spend. Making conscious decisions about the companies and brands we support is important. Purchasing products that are both high quality and contribute to pollution solutions is one of the easiest and most effective ways to be an environmentally friendly parent.

In this guide I provide ten simple suggestions on how you can reduce your carbon footprint as a parent and make better decisions for our environment. These changes are easy to implement and could start a trend for healthier habits in the future.

10 Simple Ways to Be a More Eco-Conscious Parent

Organic and Sustainable Baby Clothes

Both big brands and smaller clothing companies have gotten onboard with eco-conscious parents and now sell organic and sustainable clothing. Organic cotton is made without pesticides which is better for baby’s skin, benefits the earth and the farmers and workers who grow the cotton. In short, it’s a win-win for everyone!

Some of my favorite eco-friendly children’s clothing brands to shop are:

Honest Company Honestly Pure 100% Organic Cotton Baby Clothes
Burt’s Bees Organic Baby Clothes
Monica + Andy Organic Baby Clothes
Etsy has a large assortment of organic baby and toddler clothes.
Nordstrom also has a dedicated page for organic baby clothes.
Joules has organic and sustainably sourced clothing options on their website.

Second-Hand Gently Used Baby & Kids Clothes

Extending the lifecycle of clothing keeps them out of landfills longer and is another way to be eco-friendly. Often our babies and kids grow out of their clothes so fast that they barely even wear them.

When you’re shopping second hand thrifted clothing you’ll often find like-new and new with tag clothing that can have a new life with your child. Thrifted clothes are usually discounted too so it’s another easy way to save money!

Popular Online Thrift Shops for Children’s Clothes:

Eco-Friendly Diaper Options

Unfortunately most diapers on the market today are not as eco-friendly as they could be. This is one of those perfect situations where we vote with our dollars. We know babies go through a ton of diapers and a disposable diapers take hundreds of years to break-down. If you think about how many diapers your own child has used, it’s staggering to think about how many diapers are in landfills.

Choosing diaper brands that have as many biodegradable products in their disposable diapers as possible is an easy way to make a more conscious decision. We’ve been using the Honest Diaper subscription service for years because of their eco-conscious diapers. While it’s not a perfect solution, it’s still taking steps in the right direction.

Cloth diapers are another option for eco-conscious parents. There are parents who swear by them, and for others the idea of washing cloth diapers every week seems cumbersome. One surprising benefit of cloth diapers is reduced cost. You will be washing laundry more often so my suggestion for the energy and water efficient washing machine really comes in handy.

Natural Skin Products

I’ve had sensitive skin my whole life and I learned early on the dangers of putting chemicals on your body. After many years of rashes and inflamed skin, I only use products that are completely natural.

Many products at the drug store will make claims that they are dermatologist recommended, but buyer beware because often times they will still contains chemicals. These types of harsh ingredients are both bad for our skin but also unfriendly to the environment.

Scout inherited my skin and she’s had baby eczema breakouts from being in contact with skin irritants. Ever since she was born I’ve been sharing my natural skin products with her. We use the same bodywash, oils and moisturizers. Products such as Pleni Naturals are right on the money for us. These products carry the The MADE SAFE® label, meaning it has entirely safe ingredients and have been made cruelty free.

More natural skincare brands we love:

Honest Company skin lotions - great for baby and mama!
Burt’s Bees for baby and mama
Hello Bello skin lotions
Pipette creams and lotions
Aveeno baby lotions

Making Homemade Baby Meals from Whole Foods

There are multiple benefits to making your baby’s food at home. First off, you have more control over the ingredients going into the food. Added sugar and sodium is not an issue with homemade meals. You’re using whole foods which cuts down on processing and preserves the nutrients. If you’re shopping at local produce and farmer’s markets then you’re also sourcing locally, cutting down on emissions and energy usage.

Making homemade baby food dramatically cuts down on plastic packaging that goes into our landfills. When we travel and I have to carry ready-to-eat baby food, I end up throwing out so much trash. At three meals a day, plus pre-made formula bottles, it ads up quickly!

Nowadays you can invest in baby food makers such as Beaba Babycook which takes fruits, cooked vegetables and meats and pures them into fresh baby food. You can make your own baby food blends and be sure there’s no hidden added ingredients.

Investing in an Energy Efficient Washing Machine & Dryer Set

With babies in the house, there’s more everything. More laundry, more dishes and more water usage. We bought our house when I was pregnant with Scout and I made the conscious decision to save up to buy top of the line washer and dryer that reduces water usage and energy. My washing machine has a sanitary steam feature that kills bacteria without chemicals, perfect for reducing harmful toxins in the house.

Some of the best eco-friendly washing machines on the market are:

Samsung High Efficiency Stackable Front Load Washer with Steam Cleaning - Rated #1 for using the least amount of energy and water per load.
LG High Efficiency Stackable Smart Front-Load Washer with Steam - I bought this LG washer and matching dryer and I am in love with both of them. I use the steam cleaner and antibacterial dryer to keep my home as chemical free as I can while still sanitizing.
Electrolux Stackable Front Load Washer with Compact Design - If you need a space-saving compact steam cleaning washing machine, this 2.4 cubic feet version is a great option.

Baby Consignment Toys & Gear

Babies grow so fast and there’s so many times where they outgrow their gear before it every really gets used. Baby consignment shops are filled with all types of toys and gear that are still in “like new condition”. Often times many items are still in the box!

For example, my friend raved about the Tula Baby Carrier she had because her son loved it. I bought it full-price at $175 for Scout and she was not a fan. I attempted to use it several times with her and she would just scream and cry. Lesson learned, I should’ve bought it consignment to save myself some money.

A great way to start with baby consignment is by checking out Once Upon a Child. They are a nationwide children’s consignment chain with high quality products that sell for up to 70% off retail. You can also sell your gently used items back to them to clean out your home when your children get older.

Breastfeeding is Eco-Friendly

The list of benefits for breastfeeding babies is a long one, so much good stuff comes from mother’s milk. An additional benefit is reduced packaging waste.

When you do need to make formula bottles with bottled water, boxed water and refill water jugs are the best choice. We keep our BPA free water jugs and take them to the store to re-fill. Keep that plastic out of our oceans!

Swap Out Plastic for Natural Materials Which are Biodegradable

By now we all know that plastic is the scourge of the environment because it’s not biodegradable. Our oceans and landfills are filled with discarded plastics that will hang around for centuries as pollution.

A simple way to reduce your plastic usage is by swapping it for other materials such as glass and bamboo. There are many eco-friendly alternative products coming into the main stream market. A quick example is Patch, bamboo adhesive bandaids that use 100% organic bamboo fibers and are compostable. A great alternative to plastic Bandaids!

By the time our second baby Beau came, we used mostly glass bottles for all his feedings. Glass bottles can be sanitized at high temperatures and are a more sustainable alternative to plastic bottles.

Sourcing Locally is Eco-Friendly

A good rule of thumb for anyone (parent or not) is to always try and purchase your foods and goods locally. The benefits of local sourcing include reducing emissions and energy consumption from shipping goods and supporting your own community. An easy way to do this is shop at your local farmer’s market and buy your food and ingredients from local farmers. Shopping fair trade certified products is also another way to be a conscious and pro-active consumer.

Postpartum Moms & Eco-Friendly Menstrual Periods

All mothers know that all the postpartum bleeding post delivery of baby is extra heavy and can last for weeks. During this transition time we end up using a lot of period menstrual products, many of which are not landfill and environment friendly. I have written an entire separate guide to zero waste and eco-friendly period products to use for postpartum and later on when your period returns. Top tip - period panties are a lifesaver!

Teaching Eco-Friendly Values

Our children will have to carry the torch when it comes to taking care of our earth. Teaching them the value of being eco-conscious from a young age will create healthy habits they’ll carry throughout their life. Compassion and empathy for animals and nature are values I want Scout to embrace and live by.