3 Ways to raise eco-friendly kids
Disclaimer: Dorel Juvenile Group USA has implemented a voluntary recall for 2019-2021 Pria 70 designed for use with children weighing 9 to 70 pounds, as well as the Pria 85 and Pria 85 Max car seats, designed for use with children weighing 14 to 85 pounds. For the three models, when the seat is installed in the forward-facing position and secured to the vehicle using the lap belt without also using the top tether, the seat may not adequately protect the child from head injury in the event of a crash. There have been no injuries or incidents reported related to this condition. The Pria 70, Pria 85 and Pria 85 Max models can continue to be used in the rear-facing and forward-facing modes for children up to 65 pounds or 49 inches in height according to all labeled installation methods.
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There are few things better than watching kids explore nature. Watching the wonder they experience as they pick flowers, turn over rocks or dig in the sand brings me back to my own childhood and I find a renewed sense of delight through their play. It’s an important value for our family to be responsible with what we have been given and to do our best to leave things better than we found them. That’s especially true when it comes to caring for our planet and making eco-friendly choices. I wanted to share 3 small ways we are working to raise our girls to be eco-friendly:
1. Model responsible purchasing behavior- We try to buy smarter. From clothing and household items to kids products there are always brands like Maxi-Cosi that care and are working to make better and safer products for us as well as our environment. Supporting those brands matters. We recently received the Maxi-Cosi PureCosi Pria 85 Car seat for Cosette because they use a fabric that meets flammability standards through material and design choices without using added fire-retardant chemicals. This not only protects Cosette from toxins, it also reduces the accumulation of PBDE’s and PFAD in the environment. They also use the most eco-friendly dyeing process for the majority of their products which conserves both energy and water resources. I also love that their cup holders are BPA free and the seat fabrics as well as cup holder are all removable and washable. The Maxi-Cosi PureCosi car seat line is a great example of making an eco-friendly purchase that keeps the environment as well as your family safer. Talking with kids about why we make the purchase decisions we make matters as well. At 2 ½ Cosette may not understand the intention behind responsible purchase behavior but as she grows those conversations matter. Just ask her older sister!
2. Making mindful snack and beverage purchases- Every parent knows kids fly through the snacks. In our house we have done our best to ditch the plastic bottles and bags and opt for reusable bottles and snack containers. It only takes a minute to fill up a water bottle or reusable silicone baggy and it’s conveniently less expensive than buying pre-portioned snack packs or juice boxes. While there may be a place for exceptions at times for convenience sake we are doing our best to really minimize packaging as it truly adds up and makes an impact.
3. Get kids involved- We live about a mile from our local beach and find ourselves walking the shoreline often. I started keeping bags in my car and as we walk we pick up trash we find along the way. It’s a small way to instill in my girls a thoughtfulness that leads them to leave a place better than it was before we found it. We even talk about the animals we might have helped by cleaning up a bag or a bottle. If you don’t live by the shore that’s ok. You don’t need a beach to get your kids involved. Simple steps like asking that your children pick up 2 pieces of trash from the park before they leave or grabbing that stray bottle on your neighborhood walk makes a difference for our environment and for our children who are always watching us.
I hope these suggestions give you a good starting place to help guide your children into long lasting habits of pursuing an eco-friendly mindset. Those little choice truly add up of the years and make a difference both for our planet and individual health as well!
Xo,
Kelly
