Living Green: The Missing Manual

Chapter 5. Raising a Green Family

People who care about the environment care about the future. When you start thinking in terms of family—your children, your grandchildren, their children, and so on—you begin to realize that the earth isn't yours to use and exploit. It doesn't belong to you, not even the patch of ground you live on—no matter what the property deed says. Your job is to care for and then pass on a robust, thriving, sustainable planet.

One of your duties as caretaker for your kids and the earth is to teach your children that they, too, have a responsibility to the planet and those who'll come after them. This chapter suggests lots of ways to do that. It also has tons of info about caring for you kiddo in environmentally friendly ways before she's old enough to be green herself. And pets are part of your family, as well, so there's a section on them, too.

Babies

When you welcome the newest member of your family, you want to be sure that baby's environment is safe, healthy, and natural. It's hard enough for new parents to get a good night's sleep without worrying about their babies getting exposed to harmful chemicals. This section explains the most important stuff to watch out for, and offers tips to help protect the newest member of your family—and the planet.

Furnishing the Nursery

There's more to getting the nursery ready choosing a pink or blue color scheme. Just like furniture for grown-ups, new baby furniture can give off icky vapors (How Household Chemicals Can Affect ...