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Thinking about the environment means looking at what one spends money on when it comes to children. Diapers, clothing, bedding and also nursery furniture and all considerations of an eco-friendly upbringing. When one first starts looking at these things in detail, it can be surprising to find that there are a lot of potentially hazardous issues. This article is going to talk about nursery furniture and nursery materials and their potential hazard to the health of your baby and the environment and what to look for instead.

First of all when it comes to the nursery there are many things one wants to do with it; paint it, put in new flooring and clean it. Carpets, paint and cleaning products all can emit toxic fumes called volatile organic compounds of which some are carcinogenic and can irritate the lungs and thus one’s breathing. Children are much more susceptible to toxins then adults as their lungs are smaller and they also breathe much faster. Babies are even more susceptible especially as their lungs are much smaller and haven’t developed as far as a child’s or adult’s. Their immune and nervous system are only in the early stages of development. They also breathe faster. As a result they inhale more toxins than adults do and have much smaller bodies. This is also a caution for pregnant women, as inhalation of toxins can also affect the baby.

First of all one will want to paint the nursery and many people leave to the last minute. If you are going to paint the nursery it is best to do it as soon as you can and ventilate it well. If you are pregnant this is a job best left to someone else to be extra safe. When painting you need to give at least a month or so for the room to properly air before putting your baby in there. The longer you leave a room to dry and let the paint settle the better. It is also best to avoid conventional paint and look for eco friendly paints and ones low in VOCs. You could also try looking for milk or natural paints. There are also paints that are completely VOC free and thus do not emit any fumes. These are well worth looking for to be extra safe.

Besides paint there is also the floor to contend with. Carpet is far from ideal when it comes to toxins and being green. New carpet will emit VOCs and with its flame-resistant properties will also add more toxins into the mix. Carpets can also trap in dust, mold and pesticides and your baby will be crawling on it and be very close to it. Carpet is best avoided but there are some great alternative carpets such as cork or bamboo that you could use without the toxic issues. If you do not like the idea of a bamboo or cork carpet then wood flooring is the better option. You can also use natural rugs on the floor for particular areas to add some cosiness and make it softer for your moving baby.

Lastly there is the issue of furniture. Many people do not think that furniture could possibly admit toxins – I didn’t at one point. However if you are buying cheap MDF/chipboard style furniture, this type of furniture usually contains formaldehydes that can be hazardous to health. Avoid them at all costs and only go for furniture that is formaldehyde free or solid wood.

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As people are beginning to understand how their behavior alters the planet, ecological consciousness is becoming a popular trend. Parents have the responsibility to teach their children the importance of the environment and the impact it will have on their lives and futures. A few easy steps in your own home will develop an understanding of personal action and awareness in your child. Children learn from example, so teaching them early on that environmental concerns are important will help. A major step that you can take is to use cloth diapers. Often, parents overlook the idea of using cloth diapers but it’s an idea that’s definitely worth considering. The advantages of cloth diapering are not limited to cost as the popularity of cloth diaper increases with the quality of materials used for the diapers themselves. ModernToday’s cloth dipaers are not like those your parents used. Cloth diapers have become stylish and are available in a broad range of colors and patterns. Many diapers use Velcro closures so you are not going to need the old-fashioned diaper pins. They are very cost-effective over disposable diapers since you use them again and again, and there are even one size cloth diapers that will last your child from the day they are born to the day they are potty trained. This can amount to an enormous cost saving. It has become easier to use cloth diapers while going out or if your child is daycare with the modern day wet bags – stylish, smaller bags designed to contain wetness and odor that you put your cloth diaper in until you get home and throw it in the washing machine. Another step to consider in your quest to “go green” is to eliminate the use of paper products in your home. As convenient as they are, large volumes of paper products are not friendly to the environment. Choosing to reduce how many times your family uses paper plates is an environmentally-friendly choice, eliminating them entirely from your use is even better! Use your regular plates instead. Use cloth dish towels and napkins, which can be washed, instead of paper towels and napkins which are thrown away. This not only helps save the environment but also provides a significant savings on your grocery bill. The most cost effective and green way to feed babies starting solids is to make your own baby food. It’s easy as well. Purchase some organically-grown fruits and veggies and a few inexpensive ice cube trays during your next grocery shopping. Dice the vegetables or fruit and puree in your blender or food processor. After they are adequately pureed, pour the mixture into the ice tray and freeze them. Once they are frozen pop them out into baggies. As your baby’s mealtime approaches, take a cube from the freezer and let it gradually thaw, or microwave ot for 10 to 15 seconds. You have an organic, nutritious meal for your baby made of organic ingredients and all items used in the process can be reused from the ice cube trays to the baggies. It may surprise you to realize even children’s toys can have an effect on the ecosystem. Unfortunately, the processes used to manufacture children’s toys is not eco-friendly. Some have even been found to be dangerous to children. Wooden toys or stuffed animals made with organic cotton can be purchased instead of non biodegradable plastic ones. You can even knit or crochet your own baby toys. Another great choice would be a book. For obvious reasons books will increase your child’s brain power and imagination, but books can also be recycled when they are outgrown. Your household can be very eco-friendly if you implement any of the hundreds of ideas related to the suggestions herein. Your day-to-day activities can easily be adapted to the adage: “reduce, reuse, recycle”.Always explain the purpose of these actions to your children to foster their own understanding how every person has an influence on the world. And let them know that it’s their future which they are protecting when they take a few simple actions today.

The worldwide movement to becoming more environmentally aware is an increasing trend. The importance of the environment and how to be aware of the ramifications of our actions is instilled in our youth by their parents. Your child can develop a sense of personal involvement and an understanding of advocacy with just a few easy steps in your own home. Instilling earth-friendly ideas and behaviors in your children helps make these steps part of their day to day lives.

A major step that you can take is to use cloth diapers. Some parents tend to immediately disregard the idea but it is definitely one worth considering. The interest in cloth diapering is on the rise since the advantages of convenience and cost reduction are weighing more heavily on today’s parents. ModernToday’s cloth dipaers are not like those your grandparents had to use. Cloth diapers have become fashionable and are available in a broad range of colors and designs. Many diapers use Velcro closures so you are not going to need the old-fashioned diaper pins. They are very cost-effective over disposable diapers since you use them again and again, and there are even one size cloth diapers that will last your child from the day they are born to the day they are potty trained. This provide a huge cost saving. It has become easier to use cloth diapers while going out or if your child is daycare with the modern day wet bags – stylish, smaller bags designed to contain wetness and odor that you put your cloth diaper in until you get home and throw it in the washing machine.

Your entire family can participate in reducing or even eliminating the use of paper products. While paper products are convenient, they are wreaking havoc on our environment. Instead of eating off of paper plates each night, use them only once or twice a week or even not at all! It is a good idea to use regular plates instead of the paper products. In lieu of paper-based towels and napkins at meals, which must be thrown away after each meal, use cloth towels and cloth napkins which can be thrown in the washing machine and re-used many times. Not only are you helping with environmental savings but you will also be saving on your weekly shopping.

The most cost effective and green way to feed babies starting solids is to make your own baby food. And, it’s easy too. Purchase some organic vegetables and fruits and a few inexpensive ice cube trays during your next grocery shopping. Dice the vegetables or fruit and puree in your food processor or blender. After they’ve been adequately pureed, pour the mixture into the ice cube tray and place into freezer. Once they are frozen pop them out into baggies. As mealtime approaches, take a veggie or fruit cube from the freezer and let it gradually thaw, or microwave ot for 10 to 15 seconds. When you make your own baby food, you not only know how fresh the food items are but you also can reuse all the items required to make and store the food as well.

Finally, even the toys that your child plays with can have an effect on the environment. The manufacturing process for most children’s toys is not earth-friendly and the toys contain many artificial materials. Some are even proving to be dangerous to children. Wooden toys or stuffed animals made with organic cotton can be purchased instead of non biodegradable plastic ones. You can even knit or crochet your own baby toys. A book is always a excellent choice. Not only do books provide a strong learning environment for for your child’s intellect and creativity, but they can also be passed along to others and recyled to reduce environmental waste.

In addition to these ideas, there are hundreds of other actions you and your family can take to make your household more green. The saying reduce, reuse, recycle can always be applied in your day-to-day activities.  Be sure to explain to your children the purpose of these actions so that they understand that everyone has an impact on the world they live in. And make sure they realize that it’s their future which they are improving when they take a few simple actions today.

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