Rebecca Kelley - The eco-nomical baby guide : down-to-earth ways for parents to save money and the planet

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

ANNE FRANK

Today we live in a society where the green message is ubiquitous. We turn on Oprah and other daytime television shows and watch as numerous green experts offer tips on how to lead more earth-friendly lifestyles. We follow along as a long list of celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, and Brad Pitt appear on camera to make their public case for addressing climate change. Major magazines offer green advice columns and reviews of the latest green products. Talk radio pundits fill the air-waves with their personal views on the need for environmental legislation. If were to take pundits like Thomas Friedman at their word, Green, it seems, has gone mainstream.

But if green has gone mainstream, why is it that when my brother and his wife recently had their first baby, the best I could convince them to do in the name of the environment and the health of my newborn niece was to paint her bedroom using low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints that avoid many of the toxins found in conventional paints. Though I run an eco-friendly furniture company, I didnt even suggest that they purchase a crib or other baby furnishings made using eco-friendly materials and non-toxic finishes. I didnt do so for two reasons: 1) I didnt want to be perceived as nagging them in the name of the environment because I find that its usually counterproductive to do so, and 2) even at my own wholesale price, the eco-friendly furniture I could offer them was still more expensive than the conventional options that they eventually purchased from a well-known national chain.

My experience with my brother and his wife raises important questions for the environmental movement and for all activistsbe they authors, business leaders, community organizers, Sierra Club members or Greenpeace volunteers who are trying to help solve global warming and other pressing environmental challenges. First, how do you really convince people to take environmental action? Second, once people are convinced that action is necessary, how do you most effectively present them with information to act upon?

To the first question, Ive found that the best way to convince people to make environmentally conscious decisions is to frame such choices in terms of their own personal self-interest. To take the example of my brother and his wife, I was able to convince them to choose eco-friendly, low-VOC paints because all environmental considerations asideit would help keep their baby healthy. And while these paints are typically more expensive than conventional paints, the cost differential was relatively negligible given the small size of their daughters room. To the second question, Ive found that people respond best to environmental information when its presented in a positive, proactive manner that helps people feel good about the green steps they do take rather than feel bad about the green steps they dont.

This is precisely where The Eco-nomical Baby Guide comes in. What distinguishes this book from other green baby books is its emphasis on easy, practical, and realistic steps that new and expecting parents can choose when deciding how to care for their child. Rebecca and Joy also recognize thatcontrary to many market research studieswhen it comes right down to in-the-aisle shopping decisions, most people are not willing to pay a premium for earth-friendly products. However, instead of being constrained by this insight, the authors still provide a wealth of information about cutting-edge green products, tips, and strategies to reduce the overall cost of child rearing even when compared to conventional child rearing. Without access to such well-gleaned and thoughtful advice, parents may find that even small children can create a very large environmental footprint. But with Rebecca and Joy as your guides, you will learn how going green can serve your self-interest by improving the quality of your and your childs life without sacrificing comfort or convenience and with a mindful eye toward reining in costs.

Josh Dorfman

Just a few years ago we stood in your shoes: preparing to welcome our babies and wanting to go green on a limited budget. But where to start? We worried about using cloth diapers, wondered how we could afford eco-friendly products, and panicked when faced with a blank registry list. Since we were both pregnant at the same time, we leaned on each other for green inspiration and information. Even though we had the support of our friendship, well-intentioned friends and family claimed we would never be able to handle the difficulty of caring for baby while conserving resources and cutting costs.

After our babies were born and we put our ideals into action, we began to wonder if we should let people in on our secret: We endured very little hardship and possess only average amounts of determination. It occurred to us that the hard part isnt living green on a dime, its finding information and support. When our pregnant friends came to us for advice, we realized there was no baby book in print that offered current, real-world tips for living green on a budget. So with spit-up on our shoulders, cloth diapers in the washer, and our babies gurgling in the background, we began writing this book. We recorded everything we had learned and researched what we wished we had known to create an eco-friendly, budget-friendly resource for new parents. The Economical Baby Guide aspires to provide the same benefits weve enjoyed from our friendship: practical advice on parenting matters that make a difference for our planet.

Many thanks to all of our early readers for encouraging us through draft after draft (many of which were practically unreadable): Pauli Amornkul, Elizabeth Dorway, Valerie Gallic, Gina Kelley, Amy Pangilinan, Valerie Perrott, Christi Richardson, Abby Schmidt, Kari Smit, and Eileen Spillman. We also appreciated Marie Sherlocks guidance in the early stages of our project. Dozens of friends and family offered their support at several points throughout our long journey to publication; we couldnt have written this without all of you!

Were grateful to our agent, Judith Riven, for her advice and encouragementand for finding us a home with Stewart, Tabori and Chang. We enjoyed collaborating with our editors, Dervla Kelly and Jennifer Levesque, who helped us fine-tune our writing and embraced the project from the beginning.