5 Eco-Friendly Nursery Tips

from The Stir





My son Rowan's nursery is my favorite room in the house. It's bright and sunny, it's colorful, and it makes me happy just to be in there.


We live in an old house so we are very conscious of things like the lead paint that must be lurking under the horrible 1960s bathroom wallpaper. That's why when we created the nursery, we did everything we could to seek out eco-friendly options.


I thought that going green might be challenging, but it was much easier than I thought. Even if you didn't start out that way, you'll find it's not hard or expensive to make small changes to your nursery one step at a time. Here are 5 simple ways to make your baby's nursery green:


1. Paint: Eco-friendly paints come in many different varieties these days. What you want to look for are Zero VOC Paints or Low-VOC Paints, which contain very low levels of heavy metals and formaldehyde, or none at all. Even mainstream paint stores are catching on and making non toxic paints easier to find.


2. The Crib:  A baby crib is a major purchase. If you find one second hand, be sure it doesn't have lead-based paint (and that it meets current safety requirements). If you buy new, look for hard wood furniture that is heirloom quality. Maybe your grandchildren can sleep in it one day! 


3. Bedding: Think about how much time your baby spends in the crib. It only makes sense to choose organic cotton bedding. Apart from being the most comfortable bedding ever, organic cotton is free of chemicals, bleaches, and dyes.


4. Detergents: Baby bedding needs lots of laundering. I find that green laundry detergents just keep getting better and more affordable. You'll find that baby-friendly soap products are widely available, even in local grocery stores.


5. Toys: Your baby will encounter enough plastic toys out in the world. At home, keep solid wood toys finished with a natural finish oil or cloth stuffed animals, rattles, and dolls made of organic cotton or wool.



Have you taken steps to make your nursery more eco-friendly? What's your favorite green baby product?