Green Parenting in Today's World

Green Parenting! The other day I read this article by Terry and I wanted to share it with you. It makes sense in a world filled with toxic chemicals to teach your kids how to survive. Enjoy this article by Terry.

Why Green Parenting Makes Cents
By Terri O'Neale

With a recession looming on the horizon for the US, UK and world economies being green these days is about more than simply saving our planet. It is also about saving moneys...cents. But if being green is a new idea to you, where do you begin. This article gives you a few simple menu selections to pick and choose from.

• Breast feed. Formula feeding is highly toxic to our environment...and even more toxic to our purses. The large pharmaceutical plants, which make this elixir they claim is close to breast milk, produce tons of pollutants...as does the metals factory which makes the tins in which the formula is stored...and the printing factory for the labeling. And the plastics factory for the bottles...wow that one is a major polluter. And quite often all of these are located in the 3rd world where environmental regulations are lax. Your child's health and mental development are also strong arguments. But the true argument is the simple cost of the formula.
  Another why to do green parenting
• Cloth diapers. Ever wonder what goes into those disposable diapers to make them so absorbent? Cellulose from trees...250,000 pine trees each year in the US alone. Once that diaper is used you simply toss it in the bin, where it eventually ends up in a public landfill. But those landfills are not meant to handle human biological waste so it is very possible that in the decades it takes for that diaper to degrade it will release that human biological waste into the ground water. Cloth diapers on the other hand are not only more environmentally friendly but also more cost effective. You will probably need 3 to 4 dozen for your baby along with several covers. Total cost for this is around £250...although some councils in the UK will actually subsidies the purchase. Compare this to around £8 to £10 per week for two years.
• Buy used. This one has so many positives. To begin with, your baby/child will outgrow all of that stuff so quickly that it only makes cents to purchase used where possible. If you buy quality, gently used clothes, toys and baby equipment from charity shops then you are contributing to making the world a better place through your 'donation' as well. And of course, you are helping the environment by reducing the amount of products manufactured...and that manufacturing cost on the environment. As well as the cost of disposing of used products in our landfills.
• Grow your own. Even those of us with only a small patio can help the environment and cut our weekly shopping bill by growing a few pots of our most commonly used vegies. This past summer I was able to grow 4 tomato, 2 cucumber and 4 pepper plants in pots at our flat. This meant a savings of £5 or so weekly for about 6 to 8 weeks. And it is a great activity to share with even young toddlers. My two year old daughter loved watering the plants. It made her feel like a big girl.
• Recycle. In the UK, we have door-to-door collection of most recyclables. But in the US, families can make extra income by selling their metal, plastic and paper at recycling stations. What a great thing to share with our children to teach them responsibility. Green parenting is important regardless of age. Even young toddlers can with proper supervision pick up the trash. Perhaps you could adopt a stretch of roadway to clear periodically. Any money you made could go to purchase things the children might enjoy.

Of course, these five ideas are just the beginning...the tip of the melting iceberg if you will. You could add others such as walk or bike instead of driving, wear a sweater/jumper and turn down the thermostat, cook more and avoid ready meals, and dozens more. I hope during these trying economic times you will take the challenge to closely examine your consumerism and make wiser choices...for our planet and your purse.

Terri O'Neale is the mother of six; ranging in age from 3 to 22. She has been both a working and stay-at-home mother at various times in her life. She was also a single mother for almost five years, before re-marrying the love of her life at the age of forty. Obviously, she has a life-time of training in raising a family on a tight budget. In addition to these real life experiences, she possesses a bachelors degree in health education and a minored in environmental management in her masters program.

Terri feels strongly that this is one of the most challenging times in history for the family, but she also believes that families with the will and resolve to address the pressing issues of saving money, becoming greener, leading healthier lifestyles and spending more time with one another can endure these challenging times and come out victorious in the end.

Through Frugal Family articles, blogs, videos and social networking, she helps modern families rediscover some lost art forms such as cooking, sewing, and gardening. The goal is not to go back in time or become fanatical, but to help all families find simple and effective ways that fit into their lifestyle to make moderate changes with huge impacts. For more information, check out her blog http://frugalfam.pnn.com

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