Eco-friendly Baby Shower

I love to get questions like this. Like you, more and more new parents are helping to protect the Earth–and their babies’ health–by purchasing green products. Every step, no matter how small, has a positive impact when you’re making environmentally friendly choices, and as your friends and family will discover, shopping for the earth can be rewarding and fun, even–or, rather, especially–in the tiniest of sizes.

Here are some ideas to get you started, in the categories you mentioned.

CLOTHING AND BEDDING

What to Look For: Certified Organic, Untreated Cotton or Wool
Breathable, absorbent cotton feels best next to a baby’s sensitive skin. But conventional cotton farming is responsible for the use of nearly $2.6 billion worth of pesticides annually–more than any other crop, according to Pesticide Action Network North America. These include organophosphate and carbamate pesticides, potent nervous-system toxins that can sicken agricultural workers and contaminate the soil and groundwater in farming communities. The synthetic nitrogen fertilizers used on cotton can cause an illness known as “blue baby” syndrome in infants whose formula is made with polluted water. The most environmentally-friendly choice one can make is therefore Certified Organic Cotton, grown without these toxic additives.

For breathable insulation that naturally resists both water and fire, wool has long been the tradtional choice for baby hats, sweaters, soakers, booties, blankets and under-sheet absorptive padding. Certified organic wool, sheared from sheep raised on organic feed, is increasingly available in clothing and bedding for infants.

During processing, chlorine bleaching and dyeing of these natural fabrics with toxic heavy metals and petrochemical solvents, pollution of water is also a problem. And, fabric treatments such as permanent press or water- and stain-repellant may "offgass" such toxic chemicals as formaldehyde, a respiratory irritant and probable carcinogen; and perfluorochemicals, which have been associated with testicular and bladder cancers in some human studies–and have shown up in the blood of children tested at more than twice adult levels, according to a 2001 industry study.

Look for undyed, non-chlorine-bleached cotton and Pure Grow wool, which is processed in more environmentally sound ways. Sheep and their wool naturally come in a variety of lovely shades, from white to beige to grey to dark brown. Look also for "color-grown" cotton, which naturally appears in soft russet, brown or sage. Other environmentally gentler alternatives include fabrics that have been colored with natural dyes in a process sometimes labeled as "phosphate-free" or "fiber-reactive," which results in less dye going down the drain.

Here are some top product choices for organic, untreated infantwear, diapers and diaper covers, and or/ baby sheets, towels and blankets.

Ecobaby, ecobaby.com, 888-320-2129 for organic baby clothes, bedding and towels and furniture
Maggie’s Functional Organics, organicclothes.com, 800-609-8593
Patagonia, patagonia.com, 800-638-6464
Garden Kids, which has an irresistible organic cotton receiving “blankie” and cap, gardenkids.com, 541-465-4544
Babyworks, babyworks.com, 800-422-2910
Eco-wise, ecowise.com, 512-326-4474
Natural Baby Company, http://store.yahoo.com/naturalbaby/info.html
The Natural Baby Catalog, kidsstuff.com, 888-550-2461
Lifekind makes organic cotton sheets whitened with hydrogen peroxide, and organic cotton and wool mattress pads, lifekind.com,800-284-4983

Diaper Service? To wash those organic cotton diapers, consider registering for a diaper service. To find one in your area, try the yellow pages or diapernet.com.

Green Disposable Diapers

Most eco-conscious parents agree it’s a blessing to have both green cloth and disposables on hand. More environmentally friendly disposables are available from

Seventhgeneration.com
Tushies.com
Natureboyandgirl.com

Polyester Fleece from Recycled Soda Bottles

Patagonia makes colorful, warm hooded baby jackets and overalls from old PET bottles, patagonia.com

NURSERY DECOR

Paints
What to Look For: Low- or No-VOC paints
You wouldn’t want your baby–or yourself, especially when pregnant–breathing in toxic petrochemical VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, which evaporate from conventional paints. Instead, look on labels for no- or low-VOC paints, which, like conventionals, can be mixed into any nursery-appropriate shade you desire. Note: The Green Guide’s medical advisors warn that pregnant women should never do the painting, even with the safest, most fume-free paint, and should not linger in freshly painted rooms until they’ve been well-ventilated and paint has fully dried (two weeks to be safest). Here are some recommendations:

AFM Safecoat Eggshell Zero VOC, afmsafecoat.com, 800-239-0321
Ecospec by Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com, 800-344-0400
Old Fashioned Milk Paint (all natural), milkpaint.com, 978-448-6336
BioShield (natural ingredients), bioshieldpaint.com, 800-621-2591

Carpeting
What to Look For: Natural Fibre Area Rugs and Low- or No-Voc pads and underlays
For the nursery or anywhere in the home, pediatricians Philip Landrigan, MD and Harvey Karp, MD recommend the use of washable area rugs rather than wall-to-wall carpeting. Smaller rugs can be taken up and thoroughly washed or vacuumed on both sides to remove allergenic dust mites and chemicals that accumulate from household products. Natural fibers are preferable to synthetics, which pose a disposal problem as they accumulate in landfills. VOCs are also often found in mothproofing, water-stain treatments, synthetic backings, underlays and pads, and adhesives or glues. Opt for unbacked dhurries or kilims, or carpets sewn to natural backings with low-VOC glues. Some good places to start:

Natural Home,naturalhomeproducts.com, 707-824-0914
EarthWeave Carpet Mills,earthweave.com,706-278-8200
Eco Friendly Flooring, 866-250-3273, for hemp, seagrass and sisal carpets, some backed with natural rubber
Casa Natura, 702-543-7003, for untreated wool carpetsw and pads
Eco Choices, fax 702-543-7003, for untreated wool, natural adhesives, hemp or cotton backings.
Yayla Tribal rugs, wool naturally dyed made by refugees working with non-profit organizations, 617-576-3249

Soft Floorcovering Alternatives: Natural Linoleum or Cork
Vinyl flooring and others surfaces should be avoided, as it has been found to offgass phthalates, which are plasticizing chemicals linked to respiratory problems in children as well as potential hormone disruption and liver cancers. Also, the production and incineration of vinyl release toxic dioxins into our water and air, and thence into the food chain.

The answer? Baby’s rollovers and tumbles can better be padded by natural linoleum or cork.

Natural linoleum is made of sawdust, linseed oils, natural pigments and a jute backing. According to Christina Erickson of Green By Design in Santa Monica, California, a linoleum floor for a child’s room “can be made colorful and fun with a contrasting border, a collage or any sort of pattern.”

Cork comes from the outer barks of living oaks in Portugal, Spain, Algeria and Morocco; the flooring is often made from scraps remaining after bottle corks have been punched out.

Where to get them:

Cork and linoleum: Environmental Home Center, environmentalhomecenter.com, 800-281-9785
Linoleum: Planetary Solutions, planetearth.com,303-442-6228
Eco House, ecohaus.com, 503-222-3881

FURNITURE

As with flooring (see above), vinyl should be avoided. So should furniture made with conventional composite woods, plywood and particleboard, which can offgass VOCs such as formaldehyde. It pays to choose furniture that’s been finished with no- or low-VOC paints, stains or finishes, as well.

Cribs
Pacific Rim Woodworking makes a crib from solid maple, either left unfinished or finished with pure, raw tung and linseed oils. It can also convert to a toddler bed, and at $639.95, its price is competitive with its conventional counterparts. At abundantearth.com, 888-513-2784.

Pacific Rim also makes solid wood, child-size tables and chairs. For other furniture and retailers, see pacificrimwoodworking.com.

Other green cribs and nursery furniture can be found at Ecobaby.com, 888-320-2129 and gaiam.com

The best green wood comes bearing the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label, which means that its been harvested from sustainably managed forests. To put on your wish list: A curvy rocker, perfect for nursing or rocking a baby to sleep, made by woodworker Gary Weeks of FSC certified cherry, maple or mahogany. $1,600 and up at garyweeks.com,888-334-0307.

Crib Mattresses
For mattresses made with all-natural latex, cotton and wool (naturally fire retardant, so toxic flame retardant chemicals aren’t required), go to:

Lifekind.com, 800-284-4983
Gaiam.com (for Natura mattresses and cribs)
IKEA makes conventional mattresses, but they’re free of the most problematic fire retardants, known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes.).
Crib futons, about half the price as all-natural mattresses and made with all-organic cotton or cotton wrapped with wool, are at
Abundant Earth, abundantearth.com,888–513-2784 or
Tonkatinkers, tonkatinkers.com, 309-837-3150

For more extensive lists of products and companies, see Wood Furniture, Carpet, Clothing, Mattress and Bedding Product Reports at thegreenguide.com

For more information:
Pesticide Action Network, panna.org
The Sustainable Cotton Projectg, sustainablecotton.org
Organic Trade Association, ota.com/organic/woolfactsheet.html