Complete title :
The Economical baby guide : down-to-earth ways for parents to save money and the planet
Author : Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley ; foreword by Josh Dorfman ; illustrations by Woolypear.
The Economical baby guide : down-to-earth ways for parents to save money and the planet
Author : Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley ; foreword by Josh Dorfman ; illustrations by Woolypear.
It was borrowed from Choa Chu Kang Public Library
As mentioned earlier, this is the book that convinced me to went with cloth diapering. Before I became a parent, I tried and learned as much as I can to be environmentally responsible, either at home or at my work as a designer. After I was pregnant and gave birth, it made me more amazed with God's creation and I was reminded once more to contribute to the environment. I realised having a baby would added more things to our home, more spending, and eventually more waste. But I was also hesitated since the word "eco" sometimes relate with more effort and more money :)
This book gave guides that the green issues is not just a gimmick, but green is practical even for us as a parent, and eco goes along with "nomical" : eco-nomical. The writer gave classification of spectrum of green parents :
Extraordinary green
You grow your own, operate a solar powered dryer (i.e clothesline) and ride your bicycle whenever possible. You literary got a goosebumps when you imagine how fun it would be to start a composting worm farm with your little one.
Gladly green
You enjoy the challenge of reducing waste and delight in every small step you take toward living a more sustainable life. You even schelp empty aluminum cans for the office holiday party to the recycling bins simply because it is painful to see them in the trash
Overwhelmed green
You really would like to make more green choices but feel inundated by the options and utterly unable to live up to your environmental ideals. Limiting your family's impact on the planet is a goal that you'd like to achieve - and even feel a bit guilty about - but it feel impossible in the midst of preparing for baby.
Jaded green
While you think it's nice that other people really would like to save the world, it all seems very, well...difficult.You may be grumbling to yourself "Whole rainforest are being levelled, what's the point of me trying to stop global warming?" Your life is stressful and demanding - the thought of adding more responsibility or complexity to your schedule is too much to bear, especially with baby on the way.
Defiantly ungreen
You don't believe in global warming, and drive a Hummer limousine on your five hundred mile daily commute. Your children wear nothing but PVC jumpsuits.
^^
The chapters include how to be wise in spending for baby needs, cloth diaper 101, and cook your own baby food. I must say the good ol' reduce-reuse-recycle environmental awareness is still used as the basic thought of the book. Extra credit for the cloth diaper section, good and humorous explanation made a new mom like me felt encouraged that I can do it.
Since the book is written in American background, some of the resources in the book is not easy to apply for us in Singapore, such as the companies links and diaper services. Previously I wished that there is diaper services in Singapore, but after a while I manage to do the laundry, yes, I enjoy the every small steps, and gear up for the next challenge as next month my baby grows and will start to eat solid foods, and the next, and the next .. jia you! (Go go go! or cheering in Chinese)
^.^
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