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Global warming
- With global warming wreaking havoc across the planet, sustainability is a hot topic and at the forefront of many people’s minds.
© Shutterstock
1 / 29 Fotos
Good intentions
- Many of us try to live as sustainably as possible, for example by limiting our energy consumption and buying as responsibly as we can.
© Shutterstock
2 / 29 Fotos
No mean feat
- To live in a truly sustainable fashion, however, requires considerable time and energy. Sifting through all those greenwashing statements is no simple task.
© Shutterstock
3 / 29 Fotos
Time-poor parents
- And there is perhaps no demographic that is more time and energy poor than parents, particularly those who are working and who have young children.
© Shutterstock
4 / 29 Fotos
The reality
- For these people, making sustainable choices is often difficult, if not impossible. They simply do not have the resources to dedicate to making sustainable choices.
© Shutterstock
5 / 29 Fotos
The plastic problem
- And yet the plastic waste generated by young families is often off the chart. Plastic is simply everywhere to be found in children’s items, from bottles to wipes and diapers.
© Shutterstock
6 / 29 Fotos
Case in point
- Take diapers, for example. In the UK, diapers are estimated to represent 2-3% of all household waste. They are one of the biggest contributors to plastic waste globally.
© Shutterstock
7 / 29 Fotos
Diaper materials
- Most diapers are made of two non-biodegradable materials: a polyethylene waterproof back layer, and a polypropylene inner layer.
© Shutterstock
8 / 29 Fotos
Bound for landfill
- This means that when they ultimately end up in the landfill, they will remain there for a whopping 500 years or more.
© Shutterstock
9 / 29 Fotos
How to fix the problem
- But what exactly can be done about this? Kids need diapers; short of having fewer children, we cannot reduce demand for the product.
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10 / 29 Fotos
Option 1 - reusable diapers
- The solution most commonly cited is to use reusable diapers, which are normally made of natural cotton, bamboo, or wool fibers.
© Shutterstock
11 / 29 Fotos
The advantages
- Despite any misgivings about how clean they really are, at first glance reusable diapers seem to be a good option: they significantly reduce, if not eradicate, plastic consumption.
© Shutterstock
12 / 29 Fotos
The caveat
- Parents should remember, however, that reusable diapers must be washed at 60°C in order to kill bacteria, and machines should not be overfilled.
© Shutterstock
13 / 29 Fotos
Proven problem
- Indeed, research has shown that having to wash reusable diapers in a certain way can actually negate their positive environmental impact entirely.
© Shutterstock
14 / 29 Fotos
Option 2 - biodegradable diapers
- The other alternative when it comes to diapers is to choose a biodegradable option. Nowadays there are plenty of eco-alternatives on the market, some at a reasonable price.
© Shutterstock
15 / 29 Fotos
According to the experts
- However, according to Charlotte Lloyd, environmental biogeochemist from the University of Bristol, these nappies are “completely ineffective” at reducing environmental impact.
© Shutterstock
16 / 29 Fotos
Partly biodegradable
- None of the biodegradable diapers on the market are completely biodegradable (nor do they claim to be).
© Shutterstock
17 / 29 Fotos
Difficulties with decomposition
- And the ones with the higher percentages of biodegradable materials need very specific conditions in order to biodegrade.
© Shutterstock
18 / 29 Fotos
Specific conditions required
- This often involves industrial hot composting facilities that are currently nowhere near widespread enough to offer a solution to the problem on a mass scale.
© Shutterstock
19 / 29 Fotos
Ending up in landfill
- As a result, the majority of these eco-nappies end up in landfill, where they are unable to decompose due to conditions created to prevent decomposition.
© Shutterstock
20 / 29 Fotos
What can we do?
- So, what can parents do to be more sustainable? A good first step is to cook meals for your family at home. Although this takes some planning, it is generally a greener option.
© Shutterstock
21 / 29 Fotos
Cooking at home
- Ditching the ready-to-eat meals and taking to the stove is a good way to reduce plastic consumption, as well as save yourself a few bucks!
© Shutterstock
22 / 29 Fotos
Buy secondhand
- Another great way to parent more sustainably is to buy second hand. Of course, it can be difficult because we all want things to be perfect and pristine for our kids.
© Shutterstock
23 / 29 Fotos
Buy secondhand
- Resisting the temptation and the pressure to buy everything shiny and new, however, is one of the best sustainable choices we can make.
© Shutterstock
24 / 29 Fotos
Travel sustainably
- Then there’s sustainable travel. If your kids are a little older, this is a great way to teach them about the environment, while having a lot of fun.
© Shutterstock
25 / 29 Fotos
Travel sustainably
- Next time you’re planning a trip, try and factor in biking as a way to get around. Bikes are the hallmark of sustainability, and they can travel almost everywhere a vehicle can.
© Shutterstock
26 / 29 Fotos
Do green laundry
- And finally there’s washing in a green way. Of course, laundry is unavoidable, and when you have kids it comes in bucket loads thick and fast.
© Shutterstock
27 / 29 Fotos
Do green laundry
- To wash in a sustainable way, keep temperatures low, do not use a tumble dryer, and only wash full loads. Chemical-free and refillable detergents are great as well. Sources: (BBC) (The Mom Kind)
© Shutterstock
28 / 29 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 29 Fotos
Global warming
- With global warming wreaking havoc across the planet, sustainability is a hot topic and at the forefront of many people’s minds.
© Shutterstock
1 / 29 Fotos
Good intentions
- Many of us try to live as sustainably as possible, for example by limiting our energy consumption and buying as responsibly as we can.
© Shutterstock
2 / 29 Fotos
No mean feat
- To live in a truly sustainable fashion, however, requires considerable time and energy. Sifting through all those greenwashing statements is no simple task.
© Shutterstock
3 / 29 Fotos
Time-poor parents
- And there is perhaps no demographic that is more time and energy poor than parents, particularly those who are working and who have young children.
© Shutterstock
4 / 29 Fotos
The reality
- For these people, making sustainable choices is often difficult, if not impossible. They simply do not have the resources to dedicate to making sustainable choices.
© Shutterstock
5 / 29 Fotos
The plastic problem
- And yet the plastic waste generated by young families is often off the chart. Plastic is simply everywhere to be found in children’s items, from bottles to wipes and diapers.
© Shutterstock
6 / 29 Fotos
Case in point
- Take diapers, for example. In the UK, diapers are estimated to represent 2-3% of all household waste. They are one of the biggest contributors to plastic waste globally.
© Shutterstock
7 / 29 Fotos
Diaper materials
- Most diapers are made of two non-biodegradable materials: a polyethylene waterproof back layer, and a polypropylene inner layer.
© Shutterstock
8 / 29 Fotos
Bound for landfill
- This means that when they ultimately end up in the landfill, they will remain there for a whopping 500 years or more.
© Shutterstock
9 / 29 Fotos
How to fix the problem
- But what exactly can be done about this? Kids need diapers; short of having fewer children, we cannot reduce demand for the product.
© Shutterstock
10 / 29 Fotos
Option 1 - reusable diapers
- The solution most commonly cited is to use reusable diapers, which are normally made of natural cotton, bamboo, or wool fibers.
© Shutterstock
11 / 29 Fotos
The advantages
- Despite any misgivings about how clean they really are, at first glance reusable diapers seem to be a good option: they significantly reduce, if not eradicate, plastic consumption.
© Shutterstock
12 / 29 Fotos
The caveat
- Parents should remember, however, that reusable diapers must be washed at 60°C in order to kill bacteria, and machines should not be overfilled.
© Shutterstock
13 / 29 Fotos
Proven problem
- Indeed, research has shown that having to wash reusable diapers in a certain way can actually negate their positive environmental impact entirely.
© Shutterstock
14 / 29 Fotos
Option 2 - biodegradable diapers
- The other alternative when it comes to diapers is to choose a biodegradable option. Nowadays there are plenty of eco-alternatives on the market, some at a reasonable price.
© Shutterstock
15 / 29 Fotos
According to the experts
- However, according to Charlotte Lloyd, environmental biogeochemist from the University of Bristol, these nappies are “completely ineffective” at reducing environmental impact.
© Shutterstock
16 / 29 Fotos
Partly biodegradable
- None of the biodegradable diapers on the market are completely biodegradable (nor do they claim to be).
© Shutterstock
17 / 29 Fotos
Difficulties with decomposition
- And the ones with the higher percentages of biodegradable materials need very specific conditions in order to biodegrade.
© Shutterstock
18 / 29 Fotos
Specific conditions required
- This often involves industrial hot composting facilities that are currently nowhere near widespread enough to offer a solution to the problem on a mass scale.
© Shutterstock
19 / 29 Fotos
Ending up in landfill
- As a result, the majority of these eco-nappies end up in landfill, where they are unable to decompose due to conditions created to prevent decomposition.
© Shutterstock
20 / 29 Fotos
What can we do?
- So, what can parents do to be more sustainable? A good first step is to cook meals for your family at home. Although this takes some planning, it is generally a greener option.
© Shutterstock
21 / 29 Fotos
Cooking at home
- Ditching the ready-to-eat meals and taking to the stove is a good way to reduce plastic consumption, as well as save yourself a few bucks!
© Shutterstock
22 / 29 Fotos
Buy secondhand
- Another great way to parent more sustainably is to buy second hand. Of course, it can be difficult because we all want things to be perfect and pristine for our kids.
© Shutterstock
23 / 29 Fotos
Buy secondhand
- Resisting the temptation and the pressure to buy everything shiny and new, however, is one of the best sustainable choices we can make.
© Shutterstock
24 / 29 Fotos
Travel sustainably
- Then there’s sustainable travel. If your kids are a little older, this is a great way to teach them about the environment, while having a lot of fun.
© Shutterstock
25 / 29 Fotos
Travel sustainably
- Next time you’re planning a trip, try and factor in biking as a way to get around. Bikes are the hallmark of sustainability, and they can travel almost everywhere a vehicle can.
© Shutterstock
26 / 29 Fotos
Do green laundry
- And finally there’s washing in a green way. Of course, laundry is unavoidable, and when you have kids it comes in bucket loads thick and fast.
© Shutterstock
27 / 29 Fotos
Do green laundry
- To wash in a sustainable way, keep temperatures low, do not use a tumble dryer, and only wash full loads. Chemical-free and refillable detergents are great as well. Sources: (BBC) (The Mom Kind)
© Shutterstock
28 / 29 Fotos
How to be a sustainable parent
Tips for making greener choices as a parent
© Shutterstock
With today's climate reality, many of us are acutely aware of our carbon footprint and the need to make sustainable choices. Young people in particular are showing great concern for the future of the planet, and in theory that shouldn't change as we get older and some of us become parents. Unfortunately for parents wanting to be environmentally conscious, however, there are many things standing in their way, from time limitations to hard marketing by large, unethical companies.
But despite the obstacles, there are things time-poor parents can do to reduce their contribution to global warming. Check out this gallery to learn about parenting sustainably.
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