Green Tips for a Young Family

More and more people are on a quest to adjust their behaviour in a way that will have a good influence on the environment, thanks to the current emphasis on sustainable lifestyles and green living. When a young couple become parents, these environmental concerns frequently become more of a concern.

Green Baby

When you are pregnant, you don’t need to buy clothes that you will only wear for a few months. Society’s obsession with “fast fashion” may keep mothers looking beautiful, but it’s putting a tremendous strain on the environment because each item uses a lot of energy, water, and natural resources. Almost all unsold clothing ends up in landfills or is burned on a large scale.

Why not borrow from friends or family? Visit local charity shops or look online for preloved maternity wear. Increasing the lifespan of existing clothing is significantly greener.

This can also extend to baby toys, books, and other products. Within reason, you could set up trade incentives with close friends and family. Everyone receives something “new” this way without paying any money or tossing a lot of items away. This eliminates production, packaging, and transportation while saving money too.

Reusable nappies (that at first seem like an expensive investment) end up saving you money in the long run, especially if you have more than one child. It is estimated that more than 5,000 disposable nappies end up in landfills, per child!

Green Food

Make your own baby food. Baby food that is packaged is typically more processed, higher in sugar, and lower in micronutrients than food that is prepared at home. Later, childhood obesity and poor dental health may result from this. Homemade baby food also saves on packaging and shipping costs and is therefore much kinder to the environment.

Batch cooking several meals ensures that you always have food available in the freezer. This tip can be taken a step further if the food comes from your own garden.

Green Fingers

Fruit and vegetable gardening is a great family activity that can benefit everyone, including the environment. Dig a small vegetable patch or join the waiting list for an allotment. This you can start before or after the baby is born.

Set your family’s sights on a “zero-waste” kitchen. Start by trying this one day a week: compost, recycle, reuse, or repurpose everything. In addition to reducing household waste right away, this will also prompt you to re-evaluate some of your purchasing decisions and packaging practices in the long term.

Green Car

Many sources advise that in an effort to go green, everyone should rather walk or cycle rather than use a car. While this is certainly beneficial to your family’s health and the environment, it is not always a viable solution. Fortunately, affordable electric vehicles are now available. If you or your partner own or work for an established company, why not advise them to research the possibility of allowing employees a salary sacrifice electric car?

This is a great option to add to employee perks while also enhancing the green credentials of the business.

If you are a business owner, research the possibility of allowing employees a salary sacrifice electric car. Through salary sacrifice, drivers can save up to 60% on the monthly lease cost of an electric car. This is a great option to add to employee perks while also enhancing the green credentials of the business.

Striving to be an eco-friendly family can take time and energy but whether your goal is to implement a few little changes or a complete overhaul of your family’s routines, these tips can assist you in your quest for green.