“Ethical” parents face extra £700
Photo by Andrea Chu/Getty Images
John Reeve, Chief Executive of Family Investments [which commissioned the study] said: “The cost of being a parent is growing and the added pressure now of choosing ethical or organic products can overwhelm parents living on stretched budgets, especially as families learn to cope with the cost of a new baby.”
What this story doesn’t add is that it’s possible to live frugally and consciously—buying gently used, for instance, won’t wallop your wallet. You can also make your own green cleaning supplies, and even skincare products. Fresh organic produce can also be affordable if you try growing your own, or by joining a co-op or a community-supported agriculture (CSA) group. (You can also just avoid the conventional produce that have the highest pesticide loads if money is truly tight.)
Live simply, but also live richly.
Alison said,
March 16, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Yes. Being ‘environmentally conscious’ has become another marketing tool with which some companies guilt us into buying- just as much as we ever did, but just ‘greener’.
You are right. The key is saving your money for only the things you really need, buying those more expensive eco-friendly products where neccessary, and buying, or borrowing used (I love your term ‘gently used’ it’s fantastic.) Or making your own, which, if you have time, opens up a whole new world.
I bought a little ‘gently used’ dress and baby sling for my sister-in-law’s baby- they cost a total of 5 dollars, and they came with no packaging and no need for the store to restock (it was a thrift store) which means these items have a new life rather than ending up in landfill.
Eunice said,
March 16, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Agreed. Although I still think having no or just one child makes more of an environmental impact than buying the eco-friendly products. It conserves a lot of resources (food, land, not to mention lots of material goods).
Violette Crumble said,
March 18, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Honestly I feel jealous of my mother friends who can afford to buy 7th generation diapers or who have washing machines and can use cloth diapers. I can’t afford either. I buy used clothes and make clothes for my baby (and can only use natural cleaning products or I have a crazy reaction like Julianne Moore’s character in Safe). I can’t trek to the Park Slope food co-op with my toddler and I can’t grow food in my apartment. If I bought all organic food I would go broke. I pick and choose what I can buy organic (animal products and certain produce items like lemons or anything processed) but honestly it is a luxury to live this way in a major city. Go even further into Brooklyn and it’s out of the question. The lack of decent produce in low-income neighborhoods is astounding (as I am sure you know). To a certain extent I have to agree that it is really a luxury to be entirely eco-conscious.
Ingrid said,
March 19, 2007 at 3:01 pm
I have no idea how middle to low income people afford to raise children. The single biggest cost our first year is daycare….followed at a distance by formula….diapers follow behind that. We have never brought a little jar of anything for the baby…pureeing and mashing is actually really easy (make a whole bunch and freeze them in little reusable containers. I think the biggest gift I could give a new mother would be to encourage her to breastfeed as long as possible. The next step…getting my child potty trained asap (fancy diapers really encourage no one to stop using them).