Whether you’re a seasoned child rearing veteran or a new parent, you quickly realize that babies are a demanding group. Not only do baby needs get costly, they also can create excessive unsustainable waste. Try opting for these five environmentally friendly options. You’ll feel good knowing you’re not introducing harmful chemicals to your new baby, while also taking care of the environment.

Cloth or Biodegradable Wipes

Image via Flickr Andromedae

Baby wipes can sit in landfills without degrading for several hundred years. It is estimated that parents use about 5,000 wipes per baby. If you’re not ready to make the switch to cloth wipes, biodegradable wipes are a sustainable alternative to normal wipes. Several brands offer these eco-friendly options, such as Nature Babycare Wipes, gWipes from gDiapers, and Elements Baby Wipes. Reliable, sustainable ingredients make all of these products are made to clean and refresh your baby’s sensitive skin.

Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers may sound like an agonizingly painful option because of the mess babies make. However, modern cloth diapers come with biodegradable, flushable inserts. These absorbent inserts reduce the amount of waste in landfills. It is estimated that the average baby goes through about eight diapers a day. Reduce the waste from your babies diapers and make the switch to these modern cloth diapers.

Make Your Own Baby Food

If you have a green thumb, growing and making your own baby food is a healthy, sustainable option to feed your children. Not only will you know exactly what is going into your baby’s stomach, but gardening is also a fun activity your older children can take part in with you. Obviously, this option is better-suited for people with balconies or patios and who live in sunny, warm environments. The south is a great place to grow a garden, and is also focused on local and organic sustainable produce practices. Atlanta apartments for rent is a quality resource for finding a nourishing homes in the south.

Get Rid of the Plastic Toys

Instead of buying plastic toys, which house many unsafe chemicals for children and are nemeses to the environment, opt for wooden or cotton toys. There is a movement in the toy manufacturing industry to make toys safer for children, and especially babies, who put everything in their mouths. Other natural materials include wool, and bamboo. Try to find toys and other baby accessories made with these materials.

Toy and Clothing Swaps

Toy and clothing swaps are not only good for getting rid of the things your child has grown out of, but they are also a great choice for finding new clothes and toys. Get rid of your stuff in a sustainable way, through these swaps, and when you accept other people’s hand-me-downs, you’re participating in the sustainable lifestyle. Another perk of swaps is the healthy amount of money you save on buying toys and clothes that you know your kids are going to grow out of eventually.

While going green for your baby may seem like a daunting task at first, you’ll quickly feel rewarded as you help save the environment, and keep your baby safe from harmful chemicals. Which of these green practices had you never thought of before reading this article?

Jessica Snow is a young writer from sunny Florida who enjoys learning and writing about a myriad of topics. When shes not glued to her laptop you can find her running the trails with her Great Dane, David.