How To Make Bedtime More Eco-Friendly
Many of us are bringing greener alternatives into our lives as we become increasingly conscious of our impact on the environment, but is there a way to make bedtime a more eco-friendly experience? Here’s some simple bedtime switches for you to consider:
Try cloth diapers and wipes
Disposable diapers and wipes are just that — disposable! — so you can only use them once before putting them in the trash. They’re also made from plastics which can take hundreds of years to decompose (while littering our oceans in the meantime!) and chemicals that are often considered to be harmful. Instead, think about switching to cloth diapers and wipes which can be washed and reused again and again.
Pro tip: For pocket nappies, hemp and bamboo boosters are much more absorbent than cotton and will do a better job at keeping your baby dry overnight. If you use prefolds, double diapering (folding up a prefold diaper and putting it inside another diaper where it’s needed most) is the way to go!
Swap a big bath for a quick shower
If your child likes hopping in the bath before bed, try swapping this for a shower a few times a week instead to save on the amount of water used. Make sure you transfer over their bath toys to encourage them and you could even get in with them the first few times until they get used to it as well.
Use ethical toiletries
Buying your children’s shampoo, conditioner and body wash in bar form, instead of bottles or containers, is a handy switch to cut out any unnecessary plastic packaging. If this isn’t possible, you could try using brands that are more environmentally-minded i.e. use recycled packaging, or that allow you to refill your existing bottles. Bamboo toothbrushes are also a fabulous eco-friendly swap for the bathroom.
Choose bedtime stories over electronics
We already know that screen time before bed isn’t a good idea but there’s another reason to turn off the tablets and TV — you’ll be saving electricity! Instead, cuddle up together and read some books or make up your own bedtime stories.
Consider hand-me-downs for baby suits/pyjamas and bed linen
Babies and toddlers fly through clothes so quickly that you’ll often find friends and family members are willing to pass down anything that doesn’t fit anymore to make room for the next sizes up. If not, you could use eBay, second-hand shops and Facebook selling groups to pick up some preloved bargains. Not only are hand-me-downs cheaper, but they’re much better for the environment than buying brand new. Plus, they’re fantastic for messy times such as weaning or getting muddy in the garden.
