This post was written as part of The Breastfeeding Cafe's Carnival. For more info on the Breastfeeding Cafe, go to www.breastfeedingcafe.wordpress.com. For more info on the Carnival or if you want to participate, contact Claire at clindstrom2 {at} gmail {dot} com. Today's post is about the environment and breastfeeding. Please read the other blogs in today's carnival listed below and check back for more posts July 18th through the 31st!
I grew up during a recycle, reduce, reuse campaign. . . it's always been there. I've always been aware of it. I haven't always understood why it's important. I would say that I was already a mother before I really understood how petroleum use is part of the problem when it comes to the creation of NEW materials, and why it is important to reuse what you can. I mean, sure, we reused plastic tubs and got money for aluminum cans, but I didn't understand the WHY for a very long time.
I can honestly say, environment was NOT one of the factors for me when breastfeeding my baby. I understand now, how much I have saved in money, in time, in effort and even in the use of resources, by breastfeeding my babies. I understand now that resources, like petroleum, are used to create cans of formula, and I've not contributed a dime to that production. I am not responsible for the crude oil made into gas that is used by trucks to transport this product to store. Or in need of a plastic bag at the grocery store to transport said item from the store to my home (again, or with the gas to get to and from the store). Nor have I tossed a single empty can into landfills. And maybe this is just a springboard for the other decisions about food I help make for my family. I've never fed either of my children from a rice cereal box, or purchased a jar of baby food. Because most of my children's nutritional needs were met at the breast for at least the first year, and the other foods they ate were generally whole foods I made into puree or froze as baby food, and because this again, has been a springboard of a focus on whole foods in our family, I believe it's likely we create less waste, less packaged foods.
I'm glad that I've made a decision to breastfeed, because it DOES impact the environment in a positive way, and it is a chain reaction, the decision to breastfeed has impacted the way our family eats and makes decisions about food, therefore reducing our waste and our use of resources for the production of certain types of food (including transportation). We continue to grow and change as a family, and one area that is a constant focus is making our diets "cleaner." What cleaner, greener, was is there to start your life out, than to be a breastfed baby?
Here are more post by the Breastfeeding Cafe Carnival participants! Check back because more will be added throughout the day.
- Sara @ the Momzelle blog-The environment and I, am I a future green mom?
- Ashley @ Adventures with my Monkeys-Breastfeeding Carnival Day 2: Eco-breastfeeding
- Shelly @ Lousy Mom-Breastfeeding and the Hippie (or Not) Mama
- Renee @ Just the 5 of us!-Granola Anyone?
- Claire @ The Adventures of Lactating Girl-I Breastfeed For My Kids
- Timbra @ Bosoms and Babes-Green Milk
- Natasha @ Natural Urban Mama-Word of the Day: Eco-breastfeeding
- Laura @ Day by Day in Our World-Eco-breastfeeding
- And of course the guest poster on the Breastfeeding Cafe’s blog today is Jeana Jones-Save the Planet: Breastfeed!
1 comment:
I love your post. I am pregnant with my first child and I have the intentions of breastfeeding, making their food, and cloth diapering. You make it seem so easy and natural to care for the environment and your children. It’s true that the environment isn’t the driving factor for these intentions, but it’s an important perk! Also, I just want to mention that the photos on your blog are just beautiful. You are very talented.
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