I’ve been working on this post for a really long time now and it’s just been getting longer and longer! Tonight I realised that’s because caring for the environment is actually something I’ve become pretty passionate about! I’ve got so much I want to share that I’ve decided to make it into two blog posts. Part 1 is all about sustainable consuming and Part 2 about creating our edible garden.
I think what I love about is the fact that we are making small changes in our daily lives but these things can add up to having a big and lasting impact on our earth. I’ll be the first to admit that we are definitely no ‘zero waste’ household but we have made a few choices that I’m pretty proud of this year and here’s a little summary of ways we are trying to ‘Green our parenting’ and lessen our impact and footprint on our beautiful earth.
1. We use cloth nappies
Not MORE washing I hear you groan!! Are you crazy?! Yes, it is more washing but the pay off is well worth it in my mind. It saves you and your family literally thousands of dollars compared to disposables, it’s satisfying, more comfortable for my toddler and honestly a bit addictive! I absolutely love using cloth now, I also love to find new patterns, to fold them and arrange them in our little baskets each week. It’s like a type of therapy for me (especially after a rough Mum day!). Don’t diss it until you try it!
At the start you do need to study up on how to wash and care for them (check out this blog post for more information on that. Theres so many great support groups and information out there about that and it's really not hard once you know how.
I recently purchased some new nappies from the lovely people at Chirpy Cheeks and I tried some of their new cloth nappy brands. They have so many cute and colourful designs which really makes changing nappies a bit more fun for both you and baby.
Last year I set myself the goal of using reusable nappies 90 percent of the time. That is, we just use one disposable a day at night time. I’d ultimately like move to 100 percent with baby number two. We’ll see if I can!! Those early days can be tricky especially with a winter newborn but I’m hoping to be into our reusables a lot sooner this time round.
2. Sustainable fashion
This one is pretty major for me! I’ve been trying to curb my spending on buying new clothes for our kids and myself (easier said that done!). I’m proud to say that this year I’ve been purchasing with a lot more purpose and now aim to buy the majority of our clothes from clothes swaps, recycled and secondhand boutiques. It’s actually my favourite change because I’ve gotten so many more unique clothes and accessories. They generally cost less and I’ve been able to find some really great quality clothes for me and my toddler too. This decision is not only more sustainable but it helps me to feel less guilty about the excessive waste and salvery that goes on in the clothing industry. I also like that we can support deserving charities and fundraising efforts.
If I do make a clothing purchase I try and support local businesses like my beautiful friend’s business Jazz and Milly clothing. Where I know the workers are well paid and they are making ethically sourced clothes.
3. Toys, toys everywhere...
Recently we decided to join our local toy library and that has been so worthwhile!. I think the toy library is helping us really reign in our toy spending and actually decide what we really need and what we don’t. We have a lot of toys but the majority are things that have been gifted to us or are now hired from the toy library. It’s also a cool way to try out big items like trucks and train tracks, even ride on cars etc before you commit to having them forever or then having to get rid of them when their interest in them wanes.
The best toy in my mind is just getting out into nature! It's free, sensory and so much fun for little ones. We love to join our friends for our Nature playgroup every second week at our local bush. You can check out the playgroup I help run here.
The best toy in my mind is just getting out into nature! It's free, sensory and so much fun for little ones. We love to join our friends for our Nature playgroup every second week at our local bush. You can check out the playgroup I help run here.
4. Moving towards natural soaps, shampoos and deodorants...
Recently I’ve noticed natural deodorants and shampoo bars seem to be popping everywhere. People are obviously demanding an alternative to the traditional chemical ‘antiperspirant’ and the standard plastic bottle packaging.
I recently had the absolute pleasure of trying this beautiful kiwi product Touched by nature ’Naturale deodorant’. It’s made from all natural ingredients like lemon oil and cocoa butter. It actually smells and feels like you are applying a lemon chocolate bar under your arms! I know that sounds a bit weird but it honestly smells amazing! The best part was that it really works for me. I’ve tried a lot of natural deodorants over the years ranging from crystals, powders, pastes and roll ons but this one is my favourite by far. Plus the package is compostable so I can pop it in my compost!
I’ve also been using solid shampoo bars for the last month or so and have discovered some really beautiful kiwi products are out there like Belle and co. They are long lasting and plastic free so I urge you to give them a go. I especially love this company because they are committed to sustainability, pride themselves on being zero waste and have a range for lots of different hair types.
That’s a wrap on Part 1... Part 2 involves more about developing our edible be backyard. I hope that was useful and if it was I’d love you to share this article with other parents you think might benefit from my tips. As always I’d love to hear your ideas and thoughts too! What changes have you made as we move towards making more sustainble choices?
Part 2 is coming next week. Don’t forget to check out my giveaway over on Instagram x
Comments
Post a Comment