Choosing organic baby clothes

One of the great reasons to go organic with your infant’s clothing is down to the natural materials and fibres used in the manufacturing process. Many materials used in baby clothes contain dyes, pesticides and metals which are potentially harmful to a young child, particularly if they suffer with allergies. Not so with organic materials which can actually help to eliminate this risk. Child care experts also recommend organic clothing for children who suffer with skin conditions as the natural materials can significantly reduce irritation.

With that in mind, look for clothing that is made using organic cotton. This cotton is much softer and more durable than standard cotton and better for your baby’s skin than synthetic materials such as polyester. Organic cotton has also not been treated with any chemicals and the garments will be coloured and printed using environmentally-responsible plant-based or herbal-based dyes.

Where to buy organic clothing for babies

As the demand for organic children’s clothing increases, so the big companies are trying to cash in on consumers appetite for all things green. Unfortunately, many of the big retailers are putting profits ahead of ethical practices and what the customer buys isn’t always what it seems. Ethical gift websites are a great place to start in your search for ethically sourced and manufactured organic baby clothes.

When you find an online retailer, the next question to ask is how environmentally conscious is the company you’re buying from. Look for a retailer who deals with small suppliers and organic trade associations as they will check on the ethical sourcing of the products they stock. This guarantees that you are getting something that is Fairtrade, organic or eco-friendly. Try to use a reputable ethical products retailer who gives a percentage of their profits to charitable organisations or supports social causes with regular donations.

What organic baby clothes to buy

As any parent will testify, a baby requires a lot of clothing mainly due to the mess they make after feeding or when a nappy needs changing. Organic baby bodysuits and playsuits are essential babywear and there’s a beautiful range of classic and understated baby clothes available for boys and girls.

These recommended products are perfect for the fashion-conscious parent who wants quality baby clothes that will last for many years.

	A stylish white baby playsuit with navy dots and trim. Perfect for daywear or nightwear and machine washable.
	This funky pink playsuit made from natural cotton will be soft and comfortable against your baby’s skin.
	A beautiful kimono-style product that looks great when put together with a skirt or trousers. Easy to dress your child in and fully machine washable.

Climate Change – What is it?

In the current day lexicon of scientists, climate modification isn’t really a term of use anymore. The reason for this is that we have come to understand that the effect of the changes we make to our environment will increase the temperature in many locations on the planet, but will also cool a few places. In light of this, the thing you know of as climate modification is actually referred to as global climate change. Over all, however, the world is definitely warming.

We need a straightforward definition for climate transformation in relation to the warming of the planet, one that gets the general picture without excluding the simplicities. The simplest and most accurate definition is that climate change is the effect greenhouse gases have on the earth’s climate. Greenhouse gases include, but are not limited to, carbon dioxide and methane. While this sounds like a simple definition, there are a couple of important things to realise.

First, climate change is both a natural phenomena and one created by mankind. Put an alternative way, greenhouse gases are a natural part of the biosphere and would exist if man did not. Indeed, they are a crucial component to the existence of life on this planet. If greenhouse gases didn’t exist, the temperature on planet earth would average zero degrees! Naturally occurring gases, however, keep the temperature at a much more liveable 59 degrees.

So, if global warming occurs naturally, what is the big panic about? The problem we are facing is the volume of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These gases act as thermal blankets for the atmosphere. The more gas in the atmosphere, the thicker the blanket and the less heat escapes. Over the last 80 years, we have been pumping massive amounts of greenhouse gases into the sky. At the same time, we have witnessed major deforestation around the planet, the primary plant collection that sucks greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere. This double whammy is starting to show damaging results; the increased heating of our world.

The ultimate question with climate alteration is what could come to pass as the Earth heats up. We are already seeing signs with the retreat of the glaciers. Glacier National Park, for instance, will soon have to be renamed since it has already lost 65 percent of all of its glaciers! While the exact end result of these environmental changes is not apparent, we can expect significant climatic changes over the next 80 years.

Preserving energy, or saving energy, means reducing energy consumption during our everyday activities. There is a close relationship between ‘us’, ‘our’ environment and ‘our’ energy. The population of the world is rising very rapidly, and people are cutting down forests with even more speed. As a result, the forest area is reducing and cities are expanding. This has further resulted in hasty climate changes, melting of polar ice and glaciers, global warming and many more things that could prove to be extremely detrimental to mankind in the near future.

There are some simple ways that each one of us should adopt to save energy;

• Try to utilise solar energy wherever possible. For example, solar energy can be used as an alternative for fuel in your vehicle, or it can be used for boiling water.
• Save on power by switching off all electrical appliances whenever they are not in use. For example, you can turn off the lights during the day; turn off your television when you are interested in working on your computer and vice versa.
• These days, air conditioners (which consume a lot of power) are prevalent. Try to use a table or ceiling fan, if you think that an air conditioner is not required.
• Replace all the lights with eco bulbs. By doing this, you can actually reduce your energy consumption and save a lot of power.
• Utilise devices that switch off appliances when not in use – such as the Bye Bye Standby. Devices in this range also allow lights to be dimmed, electronic appliances to be turned off at the power point, and motion sensors to control lights in rooms not often used. What’s more, when you go on holidays (with the money you save from not having your appliances on all the time) you don’t have to worry about electric sockets burning out and creating a fire risk.

Compact fluorescent lamps, or CFL bulbs, are the best known low energy light bulbs. These bulbs light your room with the same intensity as an ordinary bulb but consume 66% less energy. These bulbs use less electricity so you end up saving about £100 per bulb per year. These bulbs also last 15 times longer when compared to ordinary incandescent bulbs. So by using CFL bulbs you not only save on your energy bills but also help in reducing global warming.

Halogen bulbs like CFLs consume low energy when compared to standard bulbs. The bulbs come in various shapes and sizes and can be easily used in your ceiling and wall lighting fixtures. These bulbs last 3 times longer than your ordinary bulbs, which more than justifies the price that you pay for them.

Light Emitting Diodes, or LEDs, are energy efficient and long-lasting light bulbs. These bulbs consume only 80 to 90 percent of the energy consumed by ordinary bulbs, and last up to 100,000 hours. LED’s are a bit expensive when compared to standard bulbs, but this high price is compensated by the energy saved and long life of the bulb.

Krypton bulbs can be found in chandeliers, ceiling lights and automobile lights. The bulbs are filled with Krypton gas, which allows the filaments present in the bulb to burn at high temperatures, thereby emitting whiter light. These bulbs last longer and are energy efficient when compared to standard bulbs.

You can use these low energy bulbs in your ceiling and wall lighting fixtures. Ceiling lights are attached to ceiling as hanging or mounted. Examples of ceiling lights are recessed lights, chandeliers, pendant lights, track lights and flush lights. Wall lighting on the other are fittings that are either pressed against or attached to the walls. The lighting can be attached to dimmer switches and motion sensors to reduce the consumption of electricity. Some manufacturers provide for the use of energy saving lights in their fittings to help you save on your electric bills. These eco-friendly light fixtures and lamps play an important part in greening your lighting.

Conserving electricity through the efficient management of your lighting is of prime importance. By conserving electricity we prevent burning fossil fuels, which have adverse affects on our environment. Also, the heat released by incandescent lighting is known to cause global warming. Energy saving bulbs are a tad bit expensive, but when you compare the energy saved and the life of the bulb, it’s actually a good investment. So save your environment – and your money on bills!