Parents' Corner

Calling all Eco-Parents! Green Your Lifestyle and Wallet

Toxic Toys | School Lunch | Gardening | Eco-Parents

Toxics on Board?

If you've got a kid, you've now got yet another reason to drive as little as possible: toxic car seats, which may leach bromine, chlorine, lead, and other dangerous substances.

To reduce exposure, use solar reflectors, park in the shade, ventilate your car before entering, and limit the amount of time your child spends in the car.
After extensive testing, the Michigan-based Ecology Center rated a variety of car seats and published a list of safer brands.

Waste-free Lunches

All those juice boxes and snack packs pile up. Making lunches for school every day creates about 67 pounds of garbage per child - or more than 18,000 pounds per school - each year.

To help stem the tide of trash, two California moms created Laptop Lunches, colorful bento-style containers with washable, reusable compartments for different foods. They estimate that reducing disposable packaging and single-serving items can save a family $250 per year.

Avoid products that are packaged for single use, including drinks, school lunches, candy, and pet food. Instead, buy in bulk.

Encourage Green-Thumbed Children

Cornell University's "Greener Voices" study suggests that children are more engaged in learning when they are responsible for planning and decision-making.

Give kids a garden patch that they can design and cultivate on their own (younger children will need some supervision, of course). Even if your child's mini-garden turns out to be a disaster, he or she will still learn a small-scale lesson about the challenges and rewards of caring for the earth.
Check out Cornell's Garden-Based Learning Web site for more child-friendly garden activities.

Become an Eco-Parent

Here are a few easy ways to be a green parent.

Rethink the baby wipes. Most take centuries to biodegrade. Switch to reusable washcloths instead.
Have a swap party. Don't buy more clothes or toys. Instead, host a party at which to swap toys and clothes with other parents.
For more, check out Baby Center's green-parenting article.

Fast Fact: Switching to organic foods provides kids with "dramatic and immediate" protection from toxic pesticides.