Each day in our lives, we leave behind our carbon footprints – and the environmental impact of our actions and lifestyle. As the world becomes more aware of the negative impacts of carelessness and harshness that our planet is currently undergoing, with deforestation, pollution, etc, we need to work together to ensure that what we leave behind for our future generation is inhabitable. And how do we do that? Well, while there’s no better way, really, than to lead by example and show them the way, we first have to ask ourselves are we good role models ourselves?

There are many things we tend to take for granted in our lives – mostly because it has become a habit for us. Many among us don’t think twice about using disposable stuff – such as cutlery, tissues, and even plastic bags, and so on. We do it because we’ve always lived our lives this way, and yes, it’s convenient. But the convenience we experience today comes with a price our children will have to pay tomorrow.

Also, when it comes to modern parenting, most parents of babies and toddlers can’t seem to do without disposable diapers, baby wipes, car seats, swings, strollers and all sorts of other equipment which eventually end up in a landfill somewhere. Plus, as kids continue to acquire stuff as they get older, from tricycles and wagons to computers and video games, they leave behind carbon trails like never before in the history of humankind.

Changes are not easy, we get that. But it will help to know more about why we need to make some changes. Let’s take this step by step and see what can you do to make a difference.

Your baby’s diapering
There is no challenging the fact that choosing cloth diapers for your baby wins hands down compared to disposable diapers when it comes to reducing a family’s carbon footprint. As awareness grows and more parents choose to go this way, it will help reduce the staggering number of disposable diapers that end up in landfills all over the planet, which are poisoning the earth.

Another undeniable presence in landfills is disposable baby wipes, and as responsible parents, you can take a load of our planet by simply switching to soft, clean cotton fabric squares which have been moistened with clean water or even baby lotion for washable wipes in place of disposable ones. As you take on these simple but impactful actions, you’ll find more ways to veer away from depending on other disposable items too, and hopefully, replace them with reusable ones to minimise your family’s carbon footprints.

Rethink your laundering needs
Little children go through quite a few changes 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.

Why buy when you can reuse or borrow?
Preferring to buy new items for their baby is understandable, especially when someone becomes a parent for the first time. It’s not wrong to want to provide the best for their children, from cribs to strollers and even clothes. Plus, there’s a whole of really cool stuff out there! However, wise parents should 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.

While keeping in mind that as we speak, landfills all over the world are being filled in with tons and tons of perfectly good items that people throw away, you can actually do a small part in helping save the planet by borrowing some stuff from others or reusing the items that are still in good condition but they don’t need anymore. 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, or, use them for your next child!

Breaking the habit of leaving things switched on
Carbon dioxide is always being emitted into the air around us as a result of all the electrical appliances we use on a daily basis. To top that off, each time we switch on something, we pay for it via our electricity bill! 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.

Most people don’t realise this but some appliances still use power even when they’re off (but still plugged in). This is due to their inbuilt ‘standby mode’. The best way to counter this is by unplugging each device that is not in use and only plug it in when you’re going to use it. These are actually the kinds of habits worth instilling in children so that they’ll grow up responsible individuals with more awareness of their carbon footprints.

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.

Preloved and gently used
If you’re thinking of going green in your parenting style, you should considered buying preloved or gently used 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. When it comes to living green and minimising our carbon footprints, every little bit counts!

Driving? Plan your routes beforehand
Having a car spells convenience to many families, but it also involves the use of precious resources such as gas and petrol. For this reason, make every trip count by planning your routes well and saving a few trips if possible. For instance, if you could sneak in grocery shopping on the way home from a birthday party rather than making a separate trip, why not do that instead?

You could also consider carpooling when it comes to chauffeuring kids all over the place, for that could mean more than just saving fuel and money. It also means fostering cooperation and competence between parents and sharing the responsibility of raising and caring for the little ones in the community.

Get your kids closer to nature
Children can’t be moved to save a planet if they know too little of it. So, it’s up to parents to take the initiative to show them what taking care of the earth and its environment is all about. It’s unfortunate that due to 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 it’s 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. It may not seem like much, but as parents show appreciation for the environment and its beauty, as well as concern about the wellbeing of the earth, children will eventually pick up these attributes and grow up as earth-loving individuals themselves, who have much more respect and appreciation for their surroundings.

Before you buy more clothes for your child…
Stylish, adorable and cute – these words describe baby and children’s clothing in these modern times, whereby they’re really attractive and hard to resist! However, as many parents have found out, it’s all too easy to end up wasting a lot of them by overbuying! That’s hardly going green, is it? To remedy this, try holding a clothing-swap event and invite all your friends with kids of varying ages.

Clothing that can be swapped include anything that has not been used much, or, that still has lots of good wearing time left. Many parents may also find good use for all those clothing they bought in advance and forgotten about, whereby their child has grown too big for them now. Organise such events once or twice a year with your friends and you’ll be more aware of the clothing you buy and use for your child. It’s a good way to keep from wasting clothing too.

Ditch plastic bags
Trips to the supermarket, for most people, are linked to loads of plastic bags filled with groceries. Plastic bags are already known as one of the most notorious enemies of the planet, poisoning it at many levels. As Malaysians, we’re proud to find that there is already an initiative taken on this – plastic bags are priced at 20sen each to encourage shoppers to bring their own shopping bag. Reusable bags are the in thing now, so get a few and carry them around with you wherever you go. Keep some in your car too. You can get these practically anywhere nowadays – and they even fold up to look compact and visually appealing too.