Released on: 04 March 2013

To help celebrate Climate Week, NCT is offering its top tips to parents looking to ensure the sustainability of the planet for the benefit of their families.

Here are eight practical ways in which parents can step up their green efforts and reduce waste:

1.Recycle your children’s items and buy second-hand goods- NCT Nearly New Sales provide a great opportunity for parents to recycle their baby and toddler items and enable others to buy these high quality second-hand goods at low prices. 

2.Reduce water used in baby baths- When bathing your little one, using a baby bath divider helps you save energy and use less water by cleverly reducing your family sized bath into a small bath suitable for your baby. 

3.Prevent heat loss- Save on energy costs by preventing heat loss in your home. Chimney balloons are a simple, cost effective way of keeping warm air from escaping the chimney

4.Use biodegradable nappies- Biodegradable nappies have 30% less chemicals than standard nappies and so are kinder not only to the environment but also to your baby’s skin. 

5.Prevent draughts and cold air- Gaps between your floorboards can create cold draughts which lead to chilly rooms and increased heating and energy costs. Eliminate draughts from your floorboards by using floorboard gap fillers such as DraughtEx. 

6.Use eco-friendly potties- Becopotties are made from natural plant fibres. Once your child has finished potty training, they can be planted back into the ground. 

7.Keep a water filter jug instead of buying bottled water- To stay hydrated during pregnancy or whilst breastfeeding, water filter jugs are an environmentally friendly alternative to drinking bottled water. Keeping a water filter jug in the fridge also means there is always a supply of cold, filtered water available so no need to run the tap and waste water. 

Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive of NCT said:

“Having a baby makes you re-evaluate your priorities and realise that for the sake of their future we need to look after the planet we rely on now. Climate Week is a great opportunity to make some small changes which could make a huge difference.”

Parents can join the campaign and post a photo of their pledge to ‘Protect the future’ on social media using #climateweek.

To find out more about Climate Week visit www.climateweek.com  

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