Great Ideas for Making Baby Green

Copyright (c) 2008 Virginia Ginsburg

Green baby gifts are increasingly easy to find, and can help a baby get a great start on an eco-friendly life. The following ideas are just a few of many ways that you can get your baby off to a great start.

Gifts for Dressing Up

Organic cotton and organic bamboo fibers not only save the earth, but also save one's skin from chemical additives that can cause irritation and allergies. Baby skin is far more sensitive than adults', making organic choices far preferable to other fabrics.

For diapers, the question is: which is greener - disposable or cloth? Disposables tend to be unfriendly to the environment as it takes 200 - 500 years to decompose. Cloth diapers require more energy since they require serious chemical processing to make them re-usable. A good solution is to look for more biodegradable diapers. One such diaper is gDiapers, which are breathable with plastic-free flushable refills to keep babies dry and avoid diaper rash.

Tub-Time Gifts

Skin care is also of utmost importance. There are very few regulations placed on bath products, and most are filled with undesirable chemicals for both the environment for your skin. Chemical preservatives that you have to watch out for are Parabens. Check baby shampoo, toothpaste and gels from these chemicals, as they tend to irritate sensitive skin. Rather than picking just any bath product, look for natural cleansers that have been cleared by one of several reliable environmental organizations. One great inexpensive but effective ingredient is the Baking Soda.

The Playful Baby

Lots of toys today contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC) often called 'vinyl' which is the second-most commonly used plastic in the world. It is also the most harmful to the environment and can potentially harm your baby, as well. During sucking or chewing, vinyl softeners can leak into the baby's mouth. As a result, PVC baby toys and teethers have recently been banned from the market by some governments.

As an alternative, try cloth or wooden toys with non-toxic finishes, especially those that encourage creativity and imagination. As toxins are doubled indoors than outdoors, playing outside is also one of the best experiences for your baby, and it's free!

Gifts for a Healthy Home

A new and beautiful nursery does not necessarily mean a safe one. Health risks may rest on the traditional furniture, paints and fabrics, all of which may have chemicals and toxins in them. Instead look for a natural wood crib with non-toxic finish, an organic crib mattress made of certified organic materials and fabrics, organic crib bedding for the baby's sensitive skin, hardwood or cork flooring instead of carpets and non-PVC painting and finishes.

The Baby Traveler

Baby travelers need extra equipment. Although some plastic is better than others, glass is still the best option when it comes to transporting foods and liquids in an environmentally-safe manner. One serious concern with plastic baby bottles is the presence of Bisphenol-A (BPA) which have been found to leach after repeated use. To avoid the presence of bacteria in feeding bottles, always check them for scratches, chips and cracks, especially on the nipples. Other than glass, one good alternative is to use #5 plastic bottle or silicone

Bedtime Gifts

The crib is practically the baby's home. As parents, we know that babies want to sleep and sleep and sleep some more. Hence, it has to not just be comfortable, but safe, as well. One great step to greening your baby's home is to have a sustainable natural wood crib and organic mattress inside an uncarpeted nursery. Avoid Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) paint and finishes as they release low level of toxic emissions into the air even after years of application.

Accessories for the Baby

Some of the best gifts for babies are those that are both useful and eco-friendly. For example, introduce your friend to organic and biodegradable diapers, bamboo onesies, and all of the other necessities that they will go through like mad in the first few years of life.

Who could forget baby wipes? And baby wash! And diaper rash ointment! Parents will both appreciate these gifts and, even better, they will actually use them!

So if you are considering giving a baby gift, use the opportunity to promote green products; leave a legacy that you can pass on to the future generations. .

The Gift of Love

There can never be a better gift than for the whole family to provide a healthy, loving and caring home. This is a priceless gift that becomes more valuable as the baby grows into a well-rounded person ready to face the world with that special consciousness and challenge to care for the earth and his environment.