How I Kept Up My Eco-Friendly Lifestyle — Even After I Had A Baby

My main motivation has always been responsibility—I don't believe the next generation should have to be responsible for my choices when I have the ability to make better ones. And now that I'm a mom to a 15-month-old, my motivation runs deeper than ever.

Becoming a mom actually didn't change much about my zero-waste routine. By the time my son came around, my husband and I had established a solid foundation of low-waste habits, and we just had to introduce a few new ones for our bubbly little boy. Here are a few of my favorites for any waste-conscious parent:

Babies come with an influx of toys—and anyone with kids will understand how quickly these toys can become boring. Before our son came along, we told our family and friends that we would be joining a toy library: For a small membership fee, we can choose from thousands of rental toys for a variety of ages. Not only does this help reduce waste, it also teaches children to look after what they are borrowing. When people do want to gift us with a toy, I just ask them to opt for a secondhand one.

About 20 billion disposable diapers, or nappies, as I like to call them, are added to U.S. landfills alone each year, and they can cost a small fortune. Cloth nappies look just like disposable ones, but they're washable and reusable and come in a range of fun prints. Most cities will have diaper services in which soiled diapers are collected and returned clean—a helpful present for new parents. There are also diaper compost businesses that run on a subscription model, collecting compostable diapers and wet wipes from your home. But we typically don't spend any more than 10 to 15 minutes a day preparing our diapers and wipes for the washing machine. (This includes hanging them out on a clothesline to air dry.)

We skipped pre-made baby food sold in squeezable plastic pouches in favor of homemade meals. While some of these plastic pouches can be recycled, they often can only be recycled once, and then it's the end of their life. Avoiding them also means you'll pass on those additives, preservatives, and sneaky sugars that can be found in many baby food formulas these days. Plus, going this route is way cheaper since your baby is eating what you eat—my son loves eating roasted broccoli, sweet potato, and asparagus. Anything he doesn't finish goes into our compost bin.

We chose to get everything we needed for our son secondhand: It was either passed on by family and friends, bought through places like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Gumtree (the Australian equivalent of Craigslist), or dedicated baby Facebook groups in our area. Babies grow so quickly that they can be in and out of clothes within weeks. Buying secondhand helps reduce resources and waste, and it makes financial sense, too. I still look for safety first. I'm not afraid to ask a lot of questions, test out the items, and do my research.