Green parenting might be the last thing on your mind as a parent. More immediate concerns often take center stage — for example, finding reliable childcare, balancing household finances, and putting food on the table. But think of it this way: being a green parent isn’t an isolated branch of parenthood. It’s a set of core values you apply to every aspect of childrearing.

It begins with a feeling of wanting to teach your child to be better than you are. Or it might have been triggered by a documentary special on minimalism — and now you want to raise an eco-warrior, right after clearing out your congested closet. So where to begin on your journey to greenifying your family’s life? Let’s take a deep breath and review the fundamentals of green parenting.

How can I be an eco-friendly parent?

The harsh truth is, eco-friendly parenting takes consistency, mindfulness, and effort. The good news is, it’s never been easier to adopt green habits and model them to your child than ever. Whether you’re a brand-new parent or an experienced caretaker, there are many steps you can take to make your home more Earth-friendly today.

To begin, let’s pick some low-hanging fruit.

• Do you recycle?
• Do you avoid plastic packaging and containers?
• Do you turn off the lights and unplug appliances when you leave the room?
• Do you cut down on long, hot showers or baths to save water?
• Do you take public transportation, bike, or walk whenever possible?
• Do you buy secondhand clothes, toys, or furniture instead of buying new?

Depending on your answers, these might be good starting points for your green parenting mission. If you’re already part of the eco-friendly crusade, consider the following questions.

• Do you buy local produce as much as possible?
• Do you buy from ethical companies that pay fair wages and follow sustainability guidelines?
• Are you familiar with climate activism history and activists?
• Do you support local climate change events or organizations?
• Are you familiar with the zero waste lifestyle?
• Do you choose non-toxic alternatives to household items like dishwashing soap, laundry detergent, beauty products, and hand soap?

From here, we can jump to even more complex duties you can perform as an eco parent, but let’s rewind. We’ll go into detail about specific things to consider as a green parent from the baby stage to adulthood.

Infancy: how do you raise a green baby?

1. To diaper or not to diaper

In 2018, disposable diapers accounted for 4.1 million tons of waste. Put into a more relatable perspective, that’s about 680,000 African elephants, which weigh 12,000 pounds each on average.

Each diaper takes 500 years to decompose. But reusable diapers aren’t totally faultless, either. Cloth diapers can rack up carbon emissions through constant washing and drying. Not to mention the resources used in cotton production.

So what’s the answer? The general consensus is cloth diapers are more eco-friendly. If a child uses an average of 7,000 disposable diapers as a baby, and you can get by with about 30 cloth diapers in the same timeframe (including the insert and the shell), then the decision might seem like a no-brainer.

However, not every parent has the time and energy to launder cloth diapers religiously. Your daycare might not even allow cloth diapers. You might be a single parent who doesn’t have time to make sure everything is cleaned and dried every day.

And that’s okay. In this case, buy single-use diapers from reputable companies. This includes companies that produce recycled, nontoxic diapers, companies that package their diapers in recyclable boxes, and companies that are involved with organizations that give back to the Earth and/or the community.

You can also potty train earlier to reduce your child’s disposable diaper footprint. Some kids are ready as early as 18 months! Additionally, you can reduce waste in other ways. Instead of single-use wipes, use washable towels. Take some comfort in the fact that disposable diapers also help prevent certain types of diaper rashes because they keep your child dryer for longer.

This means you might be cutting down on other waste like diaper rash creams and special wipes. If you use cloth diapers, great. If not, it’s not the end of the world.