The 5 R’s – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle
What can we do to help?
Having a baby is an exciting and challenging time in any family. We dream about who they’re going to be, what kind of parent we want to be and how it will affect us as a family. Finding a balance as a parent has been the greatest challenge of my life. I have grown through my experiences as a mother, and realize that my influence on their future is immense. For this reason, I find it important to teach value and respect for the future of our planet.
In light of this being Earth Week, I thought it beneficial to share a gentle reminder about 5 ways we, as a family, can help our planet all year ‘round - getting back to basics and reducing the overconsumption of unnecessary baby essentials. Spring cleaning is a great opportunity to clear out clutter and find creative ways to reuse and recycle!
1. Refuse
• Refuse products that do not follow “green” methods of production and guiding principles;
• Opt for quality not quantity;
• Do not accept excessive packaging;
• Support local small businesses (save on transportation energy & fuel).
2. Reduce
• Reduce the over-consumption of unnecessary baby essentials;
• Use cloth diapers & cloth wipes;
• Walk or bike instead of driving your car;
• Reduce time spent in front of the television (electricity) and allow creative minds to explore, imagine and giggle;
• Breastfeeding reduces the need for gadgets such as bottles, accessories, pumps and packaging.
3. Reuse
• Quality items last longer and can be passed along from generation to generation;
• Encourage older children to take care of their toys so they can pass them on;
• Choose reusable bags and water bottles;
• Garage Sales are always a favorite way to support the community (however be careful of unsafe older toys and painted wood).
4. Repair
• Mend clothing, learn to get stains out, repair toys, tape up old books. My 5 year old’s favorite book is 30 years old and the binding is held together by string;
• Be creative • Use old window frames in the garden as trellises, coffee mugs as flower pots • Keep old greeting cards for a rainy-day craft to create new cards to give away • Use socks with holes to make puppets • Buy “end of the roll” from the local newspaper and make your own wrapping paper – also great for painting
• Take unusable ripped tissue paper, shred it, and use it to line baskets.
5. Recycle
• If you can’t fix it or pass it on, recycle it!
• Where possible, try to use post-consumer recycled packaging;
• Remember, though recycling is a valuable alternative, it should be the last resort - recycling consumes energy and utilizes a variety of chemicals.
