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10 Tips for Greening Your Baby Shower
By Heidi Perez
SouthFlorida.com
"Going green" it is not just a fad; it is a necessity in our finite world. And why not apply this philosophy to your baby shower?
I was recently invited to my first "green" baby shower by Hollywood residents Nick and Lisa Reising.
I arrived to find tables with white linens and candles adorning the yard. Clotheslines strung with colorful baby clothes hung along the screened-in porch. "Green party tips" were strategically placed throughout the house. The vibe was earthy, pure and natural. It inspired me to help other South Florida residents host their own "green" baby showers. Of course, many of these tips can be applied to a variety of occasions.
- Invitations. Save trees by sending out e-mail invitations (check out www.evite.com) to your guests rather than paper invitations. For those guests who aren't connected to the Internet, give them a call. If you prefer to send paper invitations, do as Nick and Lisa did, and send them out on recycled paper. On the invitations, guests were instructed to write their own words of wisdom, their names and the gifts they brought, then bring them back attached to the gifts. This eliminated the need for everyone to buy cards. Nick and Lisa later combined the cards to form a beautiful keepsake.
- Registering. Register for organic baby products, such as clothing, bedding, toys and bath products. BPA-free bottles or glass bottles are also a smart choice. Meir Aluma, owner of The Gifted Child in Weston, which sells environmentally friendly toys, said, "I feel very strongly that we need to appreciate our planet, not to destroy it. Our store is decorated like a jungle, and that's no accident." Many of the toys at the store are classic wooden toys and are built to last. Also, look into Plan Toys and HaPe -- two companies committed to minimizing their impact on the environment. Another store for classic wooden toys is Genius Jones (www.geniusjones.com), which has two locations in Miami.
- Gift Wrapping. Recommend that your guests use materials found around the house to wrap their gifts -- items that may have otherwise found their way to the trash. For example, I often use my kids' artwork that I don't intend to keep. You can also propose that your guests use a baby blanket or crib sheet -- new or used. Even better, ask your guests to bring the gifts unwrapped.
- Diapers. Seventh Generation disposable diapers are nontoxic and have a chlorine-free wood pulp fluff. There are also several other alternatives to disposables. Bum Genius now offers an "all in one" cloth diaper, which makes using cloth diapers really simple. All-in-one diapers have a waterproof outer layer and an absorbent inner layer. They are pre-folded and do not require a pin. Hollywood-based www.babysabode.com sells them online. Also, if you choose cloth diapers but don't want the hassle of washing them, you can call on Brian Lewis' Diaper Service that services the tri-county area (www.diaper-duty.com).
Another new option on the market is the gDiaper, which consists of a washable cotton outer cover and plastic-free flushable diaper refills. Because they are plastic free, the wet refills will break down in 50 to 150 days. gDiapers are available at Whole Foods Markets throughout South Florida.
- Reusing previously loved items. Ask parents to pass on their gently used baby items. If we can get over the urge to always buy new, we can save the dollars, time, energy and fuel it takes to create, market and transport new things. Visit www.storyofstuff.com for a brilliant overview of our how consumerist society fuels itself. More importantly, www.storyofstuff.com talks about how each one of us can help create a more sustainable planet.
- Decorations. Nick and Lisa's buffet tables were adorned with edible flower arrangements. One arrangement was made of fruit and the other of chocolate-covered marshmallows. They also incorporated natural materials such as glass, rock, candles and raffia (100 percent natural, made from palm leaves) within their centerpieces. Keep it simple by using fresh flowers from your yard or a local farmers market. You can also have the decorations -- such as potted flowers -- double as the guests' keepsakes.
- Party goods. The Styrofoam cups we use today will be around long after we're gone; therefore, Nick and Lisa chose to serve coffee in a motley assortment of cups and mugs. However, for their large crowd, they did not have enough nondisposable chinaware for dinnertime. So they turned to www.greenpartygoods.com, a source for eco-friendly party supplies. The forks were made from potatoes, and the plates were made of corn fiber. One of the guests, Todd Jaspers, was so intrigued by the concept that he decided to take a couple forks home with him and bury them in his yard. He promised to get back to me as to whether they actually decompose. I'm still waiting…
- Food. Buy local organic food if possible. That way you are not promoting the use of toxic pesticides and genetically altered food. You are also reducing your carbon footprint by buying locally grown items, eliminating the need for further transportation. Visit www.localharvest.org and use the "city or zip code search" to find locally grown or organic food sellers near you.
Nick and Lisa asked Miami-based Mio's Confections (www.miosconfections.com) to bake some organic duck-shaped cookies. The cookies were wrapped in eco-friendly, biodegradable cellophane bags, tied with raffia and given out as party favors.
- Raise your awareness. The World Wide Web is a great way to stay in tune with the latest research. Www.non-toxickids.net shares information about keeping our kids safe in a toxic world. It is filled with usable information, such as research summaries, news updates, product reviews, tips for more natural living, ideas for raising healthy kids and links for more information.
For example, did you know that many dental sealants contain BPA? Be sure to ask your dentists for BPA-free sealants -- they are available. Other simple ways to live greener and healthier on the site include eating organically, filtering your tap water, using cast-iron cookware and avoiding fragrance.
- Commit to being green parents and raising a green child. Talk to your children about our planet and what it means to "live green." Teach them that there are many small things we can do every day to save energy and keep our world cleaner. Plantation resident Cori Glick, said, "Take your kids on nature hikes or to a nursery to see how plants grow and how the wildlife interacts. Buy some seeds and plant them to watch them grow. Carry a recycle bag in your car to dispose of recyclables at home versus the nearest garbage. I could go on and on."
Teach kids the concept of "reduce, reuse, recycle" by having them donate their old clothes or toys to someone in need. You can also visit Trash to Treasure (www.trash2treasurefl.org) in Fort Lauderdale, an organization dedicated to finding clean and reusable materials. Trash to Treasure then works to redistribute them for artistic and educational purposes.
Nick and Lisa made "going green" seem a combination of simplicity, common sense and creativity. Their party was a reminder that we all need to live conscientiously and to teach our children to do the same -- if not better. We have only one Mother; it's up to us to take care of her.
Previously a preschool teacher and nanny, Heidi Perez is now a freelance writer and mother of two living in South Florida.
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