Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only - not the street or sidewalk.
Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
Purchase "Green Power" for your home's electricity. (Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.)
Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.
Cut back on air conditioning and heating use if you can.
Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
Going green isn't just for granola types. More parents are thinking eco-friendly when it comes to products and gear for their little ones.
"We're actually seeing quite an increase in parents coming in specifically looking for organic or eco-friendly products," says Michelle Meyers, manager of Lone Star Baby and Kids in Frisco.
And while they like the fact that they're helping Mother Nature, they're more concerned with helping their babies.
"Anything that's touching their child, they want it to be organic and safe. We see it across the board – diapers, sheets, swaddlers, changing pads, towels – really anything that's coming in contact with their child," she says.
Here are a few places in your baby's world where you can help save the planet.
Romina Baby Furniture
Ms. Meyers says customers at Lone Star Baby and Kids like the fact that Romina's line is made with organic beeswax and nontoxic finishes. Plus, she says, "They also practice a plant-harvesting program. So for every tree they cut down, they plant another."
Cribs range from $800 to $1,200. Lone Star Baby and Kids www.shoplonestarbaby.com. See http://rominakidsfurniture.com to find other dealers
gDiapers
Concerned for the environment but not quite ready for cloth? Biodegradable diaper inserts such as gDiapers offer a compromise. You get a few washable, cotton outer pants and use the inserts to catch the baby's business. Then you flush the insert, keep the pants and feel a little less guilty about tossing out disposable diapers.
Diapers Starter Kit (two "little g" pants, 10 flushable refills and a user guide) $26.99 www.gdiapers.com
Fresh Baby
The "So Easy Baby Food Kit" includes freezer trays, a cookbook and a DVD to help you make baby food in 30 minutes a week. The folks at Fresh Baby say this system causes less waste and provides healthier food. $37.95 www.freshbaby.com
Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe Adjustable Infant Wrap
Nothing gets as close to your baby as her swaddle blanket. Kiddopotamus' popular line, SwaddleMe, offers a version in 100% organic cotton. $15.99 www.babiesrus.com or www.shoplonestarbaby.com
William Is Going Green picture book
It's never too early to start teaching kids about how to help the environment. William Is Going Green (Dream Liaison, $15) is about a garbage truck that transforms from a white gas guzzler to a green hybrid recycling truck. Even the book is 100 percent recyclable. www.williamandcrew.com or www.amazon.com
