Once upon a time... not that very long ago, really, green was pretty much just a color - people just naturally paid more attention to money, not the environment, and "going green" meant changing you kitchen's color scheme. But no more: we're all trying to save money and be eco-friendly these days, so here are some tips that will help you go green and save money to boot on baby products.
Going Green Tips: Recycled, Repurposed Clothing
Let's face it, no one wants to spend big bucks these days on baby clothes, especially when your tot or toddler is growing out of everything almost daily. One way to both go green and save money on kids' clothes is to get comfortable with the concept of recycled and repurposed kids' clothing. Get together with a group of friends (and friends of friends to widen the circle) and have a clothing tradeoff. Check out local swap meets and garage sales, which often offer brand new items at bargain basement prices. And save gas money and carbon emissions by shopping online - many parents are selling used and new baby clothes on eBay or other online outlets. Check out the photos and item descriptions carefully and keep an eye out for items that are NWT (new with tags) or NIB (new in box) or large lots of pre-worn clothes that can look good as new after a good wash (in eco-friendly detergent, of course!)
Going Green Tips: Green Cleaning
Baby and everyone in the house will benefit - both environmentally and financially - if you make some household cleaning products yourself. It's less expensive than buying commercial products, and these homegrown green cleaners use less harsh chemicals (a special bonus for delicate baby skin!) For starters, you can make an all-purpose cleaning scrub with baking soda, water and a few drops of vegetable-based liquid soap.
Distilled white vinegar can be put to a number of green cleaning uses, including:
* Using a spray bottle, combine 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of borax and hot water; shake until the borax is dissolved, add a few drops of vegetable-based liquid soap, and you've got a terrific all-purpose green clear for just about any surface in the house.
* Add 1 cup of vinegar to the final rinse in the washing machine to help break down soapy residue and make clothes fresh and soft - especially helpful with diapers and baby clothes!
Going Green Tips: Bottoms Up Baby Wipes Kit
Many moms are choosing cloth diapers as a way to go green and help the environment. And reusable cloth baby wipes are another excellent choice. The Bottoms Up Baby Wipes All-In-One Kit is an easy - and portable - way to go green. Each Bottoms Up Baby Wipes kit includes 25 all natural 100% cotton terry cloth baby wipes, one container for the clean ones and another, with a mesh bag insert, for the dirty ones, clean and dirty wipes waterproof travel bags and essential oil blends to combine with water to pre-soak the wipes before using them. Once the wipes have been used, the mesh bag can go straight into the washing machine with your next load of wash and will quickly be ready for reuse - the cloth baby wipes don't even have to go into the dryer! Bottoms Up Baby Wipes are chemical free, and since you're reusing them, much less excess trash is being sent to landfills. Also, compared to buying disposable baby wipes every week or so, you'll have saved hundreds of dollars before it's time to toilet train your baby!
Lesley Mattos, Founder of Bottoms Up™ (http://www.bottoms-up-baby.com) is helping moms nationwide give their babies a clean, green start with the Bottoms Up all-in-one, washable cloth baby wipes kit which is good for the planet, baby and their wallet! As a thank you for reading this article - enter this discount coupon code ART1209 and you'll get 10% off your kit orders at checkout.