With Earth Day fast approaching on April 22nd, it’s time to set out onto the beaches, parks or waterways of our communities and teach our children a bit of Mother Earth stewardship with an organized trash pickup. However, if you’re like many of us here at Earth Baby, you likely treat everyday like Earth Day. And that’s why our approach to celebrating the official day is a bit different.
Rather than expand on the myriad of activities you can set out on to officially mark the day, we want to share a few ways to embrace the theme as part of a broader lifestyle. We are passionate about teaching our children to be aware of their footprint from an early age. Not only do they learn about participating in a global community, but it’s a chance to talk to them about general environmental awareness.
This coming Earth Day, consider the following updates to your child’s lifestyle. By making these simple baby steps, you will help lessen your family’s environmental footprint on Mother Earth.
Reduce Trash All Around Us
When you get to the beach, make it a part of your settling in process and have your littles pick up at least ten pieces of trash they find around the general area. We like to bring a paper trash bag with us and fill it throughout the day as we encounter straws, bottle caps, plastic bags. You’ll soon find joy in seeing this become a natural habit for your child. It’s also a perfect time to educate them about eliminating single use plastic bags, water bottles and straws. Start by replacing single use plastic sandwich and snack bags with paper ones from LunchSkins. We also recommend using reusable stainless steel water bottles and stainless steel straws from Klean Kanteen. Stainless steel water bottles not only keep your water cold longer, but also prevents plastic chemicals from leaching into the water on hot days or when left in the car.
Have Fun Embracing Earth Friendly Toys
It’s time to start thinking about how much toys end up in our landfills. Most toys today are cheaply made with PVC plastic and really don’t stand the test of time, making it unsuitable to hand off to the next child. Today, there are many earth friendly alternatives that will make playtime enjoyable and safe. With Green Toys, what’s old is new again, as they make all their toys with 100% durable recycled plastic. They have bath toys, sand toys and much more. Another eco-friendly option that favors wood for many of their toys is HABA USA. Their wooden toys last for years, so that you can pass them on to the next generation. We love their colorful wooden clutching toys for baby and think they make the perfect keepsake.
Protect the Ocean while Protecting Your Skin
You didn’t think we’d cover our Earth Baby Earth Day tips and not talk sunscreen did you? When we take to our shores and waterways, we take a lot with us (fun, snacks, giggles…). One detail that tends to be overlooked is what we put on our bodies also comes off of us while playing in the water. By choosing Earth Baby Broad Spectrum SPF 30 + Sunscreen, you’re saying no to reef harming chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate while providing the very best natural and non-toxic sun protection to your little ones.
Stick around for more tips on integrating simple changes for big feels. We’re just getting started. Oh, and if you give one of our tips a try this Earth Day, be sure to tag @earthbabyluv with #LoveMyEarthBaby on Insta. If we share your post, we may just slather you with a (reef-safe) surprise!