Are you looking to raise a "green baby"? While parents certainly don't want to bring up a child with jaudice, there are a number of eco friendly options available when it comes to raising baby green.

Babies have exceptionally sensitive skin and very delicate immune systems so baby items need to be selected with care. ‘Most people understand that residues from everything you put onto skin can be absorbed into the bloodstream and may also be responsible for rashes or irritation,' says Catherine Cervasio, founder of Aromababy. Petro chemically derived ingredients, such as mineral oil, are reported to reduce the skin's ability to ‘breathe'. Cervasio suggests less frequent bathing, less use of commercial products and a more natural approach to personal hygiene for babies and children.

Organic and natural fabrics for clothing and bedding will expose baby to less harmful chemicals and dyes that could be potential allergens. Toys should also be made from natural materials such as wood and cloth. Plastics, while durable, are made from petrochemicals and can contain polyvinyl chloride which has been known to release potentially harmful fumes - you'd be amazed at just how much plastic your child is exposed to from birth.

Food is another area where sustainable, organic choices can be made. First and foremost, breast milk is one of the most nutritious and environmentally friendly foods for baby - just consider the elimination of packaging and food miles. Andrew Radford, from the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, estimates that if every baby in the US was bottle-fed, almost 86,000 tonnes of tin plate would be required for 550 million discarded formula tins. Formula must also be heated up in plastic bottles, which of course, uses more energy and resources. ‘A 3 month-old bottle-fed baby needs 1 litre of water a day for mixing feeds,' Radford says.

Most parents find that they become much ‘cleaner' and more conscious of germs when they have a young child. The temptation may be to bleach, sanitise and sterilise everything baby can get his hands on. Opt for natural cleaners such as bicarbonate soda and vinegar, they do an effective job and minimise the family's exposure to harmful chemicals.

By taking the extra steps to choose a greener and more sustainable lifestyle from day one, your child can get off on the right foot to being more aware and environmentally conscious. Eco minded parents are most likely to pass their values and principles down to their children. While it seems cliché, children are the future and we will depend on them to continue our quest to protect the environment.

Look for more eco friendly and green baby products on the Green Pages green directory.

After all, who are we really saving the planet for?

What is the impact on the environment of "Green" energy?

A Wind blows across a hill, has done since time inmomorial, that wind is part of the global weather system, so someone comes along and builds a wind farm on the hill, most of the energy is removed from the wind, what effect does that have on the global weather system?
Wave power, many years ago it was demonstrated that wave farms caused or increased costal erosion at a point some distance from the "farm".
Geothermal, taking heat from the earths crust, what will be the long term effect of this accelerated cooling?
Solar, the production cost of photovoltaic cells has been questioned elswhere but what about heat extraction. placing large solar powered boilers in the desert may seem like a good idea but what are the effects on the flora, fauna and geology of removing that heat source?
maybe the sun will go out before the effects are apreciable but has anyone ever done any reasearch in to the down side of "green" energy?

I agree that the downsides of "green energy" should be researched. Let's just make sure we're not doing it to somehow prove that there isn't a need for green energy.

Continuing with oil production without looking into alternatives is certainly a mistake. Whether or not there are downsides to green energy still doesn't address the problems that an oil dependent economy poses.

Perhaps one green alternative that is foolproof is for everyone to consume a little less, buy locally, recycle (and by that I don't just mean thowing your plastic bottles in a recycling bin but actually reusing materials) and do what they can to make less of a global footprint.

Solar Tower - renewable energy green global warming

Catalytic Materials for Energy, Green Processes and Nanotechnology (Hardcover) $113.91 Description not available.

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