It seems a little daunting. How can we be as plastic free as possible and eco friendly with small children? Well, when I see the reality of how plastic is obliterating our environment, I think about how my children will have to deal with it if we don't do something about it now. And then it helps me change my habits because I just can't be irresponsible about it anymore. As mothers in 2019, it is now our job to teach this young generation from the very beginning how to be eco-conscious in their every day lives. If we establish this now for THEM, we have engrained into them a lifetime of choosing the earth over plastic and convenience. They have to be the generation to be this way and we have to be the generation to teach them.
So, I established habits when Soleil was a baby, and almost 5 years later, I have even more information to do things even more better with my second baby on the way. I am thrilled to establish even better habits for our family.
Here are my top eco-friendly habits, and I am also including a ton of suggestions a received from my Instagram Mama Community when I posed the question over there:
plastic free living : teach your toddler how to drink out of a glass at restaurants
As soon as Soleil was old enough and strong enough to lift a cup to drink, I started giving her glass and aluminum cups to drink out of - without a lid or a straw. This established early on her ability to not have to drink out of sippy cups, and better yet, she didn't need to use the styrofoam or plastic single use kid cups restaurants always bring your child. And that was the reason why I started this habit, because I just didn't always remember to bring her own cup with me at the time. This was my way of eliminating the issue all together. Still to this day (she is 4.5 now) when we sit down in a restaurant, we ask for a short tumbler glass for her, and no straws for anyone. You have to specify quickly, otherwise the busser usually comes to your table with all the plastic.
plastic free living : establish from the very beginning with your kids that you are a no balloons or straws family because they kill mother ocean and all of her animals
This one can be very easy, it does not have to be difficult. Simply tell your children point blank, as if talking to one of your adult friends, that we do not use balloons or straws in our home because they kill Mother Ocean and her animals. They understand quickly and will start to quote you on that, to you and to random people (even better!). If they throw a fit, stand your ground, stay calm, and it won't take long until they understand. They will get plenty of balloons at all their friends' parties, just never at your house! I feel no shame in that at all. My husband pulls countless balloons out of the ocean daily while he is working at sea. We see the problem first hand, so we are especially sensitive to it. I think that if you can expose yourself to videos and blog posts and documentaries about the state of the ocean and the war on plastic, all it takes is for you to see it with your own eyes and it will haunt you forever. Expose yourself, educate yourself, make the changes even if you don't see the problem in your own daily lives.
plastic free living : Use reusable products for your kids lunches instead of plastic baggies and plastic utensils
There are so many reusable products and tubberware on the market that you can keep forever and pack all of your kids snacks and lunches in them. If you are worried about your kids losing them at school/preschool, write their name on them. At the end of this blog post I have a list of products and the links to their websites so you can buy them now. The list of products all comes from recommendations from real life mothers who use them and suggested them in the Instagram post.
plastic free living : Shop at Local farmers' markets and/or sign up for csa boxes. it's the easiest way to avoid plastic wrapping and the healthiest way to feed your family.
This is by far the easiest way to reduce your plastic food waste. Now that it is on my radar, when I walk into any grocery store, all I see if the endless plastic. You just can't escape it, right? Well, buying local produce and foods can help big time. CSA boxes are Community Supported Agriculture boxes, and usually they get delivered weekly to your door. How convenient! In Santa Barbara I use Farm Cart Organics and I absolutely love supporting another family owned business, feeding my family with produce that looks and tatses way better than any store bought food, AND nothing is ever wrapped in plastic.
reduce your waste : YOU ABSOLUTELY DON'T NEED ALL THOSE FANCY CONTRAPTIONS AND CLOTHING FOR YOUR NEWBORN
My favorite book I got from my midwives when I was pregnant with Sol was called "Save Your Baby, Throw Away All Your Equipment." I would link the book here but its hundreds of dollars on this internet, and there is a stack of free ones at my birthing center. This book was a huge wake up call for me. Come to find out, most of the contraptions and rockers and toys and gadgets and gizmos are actually bad for your baby's physical development. American Society tells us we need all those things, and these companies invent super expensive products that you might might might use for 3 months IF your baby even likes to be in them. It is such a huge waste! Sol was either on my chest horizontally in a sling until she was big enough and strong enough to go into a carrier, or she was next to me in a bassinet until she was crawling.
So, from my experience this is what you truly need for infancy:
A WRAP/SLING TO WEAR YOUR BABY, SWADDLES, SMALL AMOUNTS OF ORGANIC CLOTHING, A PUMP, ECO BOTTLES, ECO/REUSABLE DIAPERS, WIPES, RASH CREAM, NIPPLE CREAM, MY MOTHERSUN BAMBOO NURSING TANKS, A DIAPER BAG, A BASSINET, AND A CHANGING PAD. If you choose to not co-sleep with your newborn, then you would need a crib and organic sheets, and I highly recommend getting used, borrowed, upcycled, or antique cribs.
Most parents will say that they never even get through half of the clothing and products they are gifted because the baby just grows so fast. So, I am going to be super clear when I do my registry this round that I keep it very minimalist and very conscious of the products I actually do put on it. Check our my Minimalist Registry Blog Post Here.
plastic free living : prepare before you leave the house: pack your reusable coffee mug, water jug, grocery store bags, reusable silverware, and straw
This one is pretty self explanatory. In the quotes below from all the mamas on Instagram, some of them mention the brands they use and I include a list at the end with links to all of the products that I personally use and what the mamas recommend.
reduce your waste : shop for your children at rad consignment stores and circulate gear around your mama group.
Why buy new stuff at full price when there are so many trendy consignment stores out there for a fraction of the price? I buy a ton of Sol's clothing, bathing suits, and shoes at a local consignment store and I spend almost no money on designer brands. And they always have used Vans and Converse which I love. My two favorite consignment stores in SB County is Onederchild in Buellton, and Happy Little Hippo in SB. Also, get in the habit of passing your clothes along to mamas in your friend group. Get your group in the habit of circulating clothes and baby gear around so that the whole group reaps the benefits of upcycling used (usually barely used) kids gear.
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