It’s really not possible to go through life without leaving behind some forms of carbon footprints. These ‘footprints are the measurements of the environmental impact of our lifestyle, measured in units of carbon dioxide. As humans, we tend to leave these footprints from our day to day lives, right from the time we were born, but we can still keep this in check and do our part to help make our earth a better place to live in. Parents can also lead by example and show their children the importance of treading a little lighter on this planet we share with others and each other.

Diapers & wipes: Where do you stand so far?

A staggering number of disposable diapers and baby wipes end up in landfills every year and this is simply undeniable. It has come to a point that it’s no longer a debate but a fact, that the use of cloth diapers help to lessen the negative environmental impact they have on our planet, as will reducing or eliminating your reliance on baby wipes, another major presence in landfills.

Try this: Start using soft, clean cotton fabric squares which have been moistened with clean water or even baby lotion for washable wipes in place of disposable ones. The idea is to slowly move away from depending on disposable wipes or only use them for emergencies and not as a regular accompaniment at nappy changing times.

Laundering with love

Little children go through quite a few change of clothing a day – parents generally don’t fancy their kids looking dirty and/or messy for fear of being judged by others. They may also be a genuine concern about germs, cleanliness, etc.

Whatever their reasons, parents can begin to do their part in reducing their carbon footprints by coming to terms with the fact that laundry via washing machines utilise loads of water, a precious resource that needs to be saved as much as possible. With that in mind, you can begin to rethink your laundry needs by perhaps letting your little ones’ clothing get a little more dirty before throwing them into the laundry basket.

When working your washing machine, wash only full loads and not small ones. Also, be sure to clean the lint filter in your dryer before each load to cut back on drying time. Better yet, hang clothes on a line when the weather allows and let them dry in the fresh air.

Reuse and recycle

Parents will always desire to provide the best for their children, from cribs to strollers and even clothes. However, wise parents would know that over-purchasing can be a real waste in terms of both money and items, for babies and children grow quickly and they tend to outgrow almost anything at rapid speed.

You can avoid spending too much and at the same time help save the planet by borrowing some stuff: There are many items that can be borrowed from relatives and friends and these include baby cots, car seats, strollers, etc.

Some may even want to give away these items, and if you in turn use them wisely, you may also be able to give them away to other parents who might need them in the future.

Also, have you considered buying preloved baby items for babies and children? Most of these items still have lots of wear long after the original owners graduate to the next stage. Remember that recycling is more than just tossing newspapers and empty drink cans in a separate bin, for reusing instead of buying is also an effective way of recycling

Power down whenever you can

Unplugging TVs, DVD players, computers, cell phone chargers, iPod docking stations and video games when they’re not in use could keep thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air annually and save you money on your electric bill too.

Remember, some appliances use power even when they’re off because of their standby mode. You can also consider switching from traditional incandescent bulbs to fluorescent bulbs. It is an easy and cost-efficient fix for saving energy. CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) cost more but will save you money and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the long term.

Enjoy the bounty of nature

If you wish to teach your children about saving the planet, show them what the planet is all about! One way is to expose them to all that nature has to offer. Because of busy schedules, safety concerns, and changing demographics, most children can’t wander around in fields and parks the way they did a generation or two ago.

It may require advance planning, but let kids get a chance to feel what’s it like to be more in sync with nature. You don’t need to spend lots of money or travel far; enjoy adventures like a backyard campout or a scavenger hunt whenever the weather permits it.

Host a kids’ clothing swap

Hold a clothing-swap evening and invite all your friends with kids of varying ages. While clothes that are worn too regularly such as a favourite jumper may be too tattered to pass on, but fancy outfits often get worn only once or twice before children outgrow them may still have a lot of wear in them yet. Through a clothing swap, such items can be passed to others who may be able to put them to good use.

By holding clothing swaps, you’ll get to socialize with other parents, clean out your closet and replenish your child’s wardrobe.

Bring your own shopping bag

Make your supermarket trips greener by bringing reusable bags and doing your part in minimising the use of plastic bags, which is one of the most notorious earth poisons. Already, most supermarket chains in Malaysia have taken the initiative to encourage their shoppers to bring their own shopping bags to help control the use of plastic bags – so jump into the bandwagon for the good of our planet if you’re still sitting on the fence on this one. Every little bit helps.