Are expecting a newborn, or living with an infant or one or more toddlers? Then you know how important it is that your environment and the environment of your baby's nursery favorably impact your health and your baby's health. In preparing this resource, We combed the Internet looking for great blogs and websites with information on how to prepare yourself and your home for your baby.
To help you wade through what you might be interested in reading, we've listed both eco-friendly and redflag keywords, phrases and topics to help give you a clue on the type of information you will find at the urls listed.
Please note, as information is always being updated, we caution you to always question and check the information you find and read. Companies and products that were once thought not to be green may have revamped their product line to be more eco-friendly, the same way, findings about materials that were once thought to be safe for your baby have been found to be a dangerous to a baby's health.
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Elements of a Green Baby Nursery (350 words) |
Baby's Room (857 words) Article by: GreenYour Your Guide to Green Living Eco Friendly Keywords or Phrases: air purifier, all-natural materials (jute, linseed oils, sawdust), bamboo, cork, cleaning products, flooring, furniture harvested and processed by a low energy process, furniture purchased secondhand, flea markets, harvested in a sustainable way, little to no emissions, natural fibers (coir,jute, sisal, organic cotton, wool), rapidly renewable materials, sustainably managed forests, remove harmful chemicals and toxins, true linoleum, yard sales Redflags: APEs, carcinogen chemical cleaning agents (alkylphenol ethoxylates), composite woods, conventional chemical household cleaners, deforestation, endocrine disruptors, erosion, formaldehyde, fungicides, global warming, ground level ozone, homes built before 1978, mahogany, mothproofing pesticidesposioning from household items, potent neurotoxin, polyurethanesrun-off pollution in waterways, solvents in paint (benzene, styrene, formaldehyde), stainproofing chemicals, synthetic carpeting, toxic chemicals toxic to the immune system, tropical hardwoods, toluene, VOCs, xylene Glossary: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ground-level ozone, phthalates http://www.greenyour.com/home/bedroom/babys-room |
Better Basics for Your Baby's Room (1060 words) Article by: Tracy Tullis - April 16, 2006 Product Recommendations: yes Eco-Friendly Keywords or Phrases: buy secondhand, cotton (organic), cork, linoleum floor, mahogany certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), natural rubber, organic mattress pads and sheets, polyureseal BP (low-VOC finishing product), pure raw tung and linseed oils, recycled fabrics—old clothing, untreated cotton flannel mattress, washable natural-fiber rugs on a non-slip pad, wool padding Redflags: anti-microbial chemicals, (fire, wetness, and stain) retarding chemicals, benzene (a known carcinogen), carcinogenic formaldehyde, chemical treatments on bedding—especially sheets, carpeting, composite woods made with formaldehyde, conventional mattresses, derived from petroleum, DDT, dust mites, eczema rashes, exposures to chemicals can affect the fetus, food allergies, harmful petrochemical volatile organic, food allergies, harmful petrochemical volatle organic compounds (VOCs), herbicides, inhibit brain development in animals, irritate skin, laundry detergent, maple wood, mothproofing pesticides, neurotoxic substances (toluene and xylene), offgassing chemicals, permanent-press sheets, pesticides, petroleum, plywood furnishings, polyurethanes containing fungicides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PDBEs), soaps, synthetic-carpeting systems, stainproofing chemicals, trigger for asthma http://www.thegreenguide.com/kids/baby-toddler/better-room-basics http://www.thegreenguide.com/kids/baby-toddler/better-room-basics/2 |
Green Kids are Happy Healthy Kids Product Recommendations: yes Keywords: agricultural practices used to grow and harvest cotton, air cleaner, basic wood furniture, bedding made from organic cotton, cloth diapers, low-VOC, mattress made of organic and natural materials, mild cleaners, natural cloth, naturally finished wood furniture,non-toxic household products, organic unbleached cotton products, rubber, sustainable,vegetable dyes, wood, zero VOC paints Redflags: asthmatic children, brand-named cleaners, linked to cancer, carpet fibers and padding (animal dander, bacteria, cleaning product chemicals, pesticides, dust mites, lead dust), chemical in plastics, bleaches, scents, upholstered furniture, chemicals in the plastics, bleaches, and scents used in disposable diapers, chemicals attach to dust particles, cleaning product chemicals, cloth vs disposable diapers, developing children's brain, dust particles, home reconstruction (asbestos lead, mold, pesticides), indoor air pollution, irritate children's eyes, kids hanging out on the floor landfill issues, lead-based paint hazards, lead dust, harm children's skin, harsh chemcials, health issues (headaches, fatique, developing brain of of a children, homes built before 1978, non-renewable resource, nose, lungs, chemical residues, paint solvents (benzene, styrene, formaldehyde), painting while pregnant, petroleum, phthalates, plastic, sanding or wall demolition, synthetic carpeting (adhesives, glues, stain-proffing chemical vapors), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), unhealthy fumes, unhealthy "new" paint-smell http://www.lowimpactliving.com/pages/newsletters/newsletter-green-kids |
Childproofing a Baby's Room or Nursery Article by: Don Vandervort, author of more than 30 DIY home improvement books Although not a green related article, important information to keep your baby safe. http://www.hometips.com/diy-how-to/childproofing-baby-room-nursery.html |
We hope these recommendations help you.
Please find below additional resources you may want to bookmark:
Resources
AQS IAS - Aerias Indoor Air Quality Resource Center
www.aerias.org/
Asthma in Children: MedlinePlus
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asthmainchildren.html
Autism Society of America
www.autism-society.org/
CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/
CERHR - NTP Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction
cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/
Children's Health Protection
http://yosemite.epa.gov/OCHP/OCHPWEB.nsf/content/homepage.htm
CPSC - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
www.cpsc.gov/
CRI - The Carpet and Rug Institute
www.carpet-rug.org/
CRI Seal of Approval - CRI Residential Customers Seal of Approval Products
http://www.carpet-rug.org/residential-customers/cleaning-and-maintenance/seal-of-approval-products/
DfE - Designed for the Environment | US EPA Partnership Program
http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/formulat/formpart.htm
EPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov/
EHSO - Environment, Health and Safety Online
www.ehso.com/
EWG - Environmental Working Group
www.ewg.org/
FSC - Forest Stewardship Council
http://www.fscus.org/
GEI - GreenGuard Environmental Institute
www.greenguard.org/
Green Homes - EPA Green Homes | US EPA
www.epa.gov/greenhomes/
Healthy Child HealthyWorld
www.healthychild.org
HHI - Healthy House Institute
www.healthyhouseinstitute.com/
NAA - National Autism Association
www.nationalautismassociation.org/
NLIC - The National Lead Information Center | Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil
www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/nlic.htm
www.epa.gov/lead/
NLIC Lead Hotline - The Natinal Lead Information Center Hotline 1-800-424-LEAD [5323]
www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/nlic.htm
NSF Institute - NSF International
http://www.nsf.org/consumer/
NTP - National Toxicology Program Department of Health and Human Services
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/
Rainforest Alliance
www.rainforest-alliance.org/forestry.cfm?id=smartwood_program
SIDS - American Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Institute
www.sids.org/
UNICEF Breastfeeding Initiatives Exchange
www.unicef.org/programme/breastfeeding
