Eco mom greens the nursery

Being a mom at the best of times can be quite a challenge, so much to learn and so quickly, so when everybody is talking about being an eco-mum it can seem just like one more thing that is too much to take on.

Well I am here to help and to show you how it can actually make being a mum just that little bit simpler. So what are my creds for this task? Well I grew up on an organic farm in England and in a slightly crazy eco-house, later studying conventional farming and learnt all about agricultural chemicals, which was a real eye-opener.

I then did a full turn about and immigrated to Israel, slowly losing almost all my connections to a green lifestyle (11 years ago it seemed an entirely different world here in Israel), though cleaning with vinegar, lemon and essential oils I was a firm diehard.

But one can only ignore one’s roots for so long before they bite you in the “tush” and remind you that life is a definitely not just about me and mine…I became pregnant just under three years ago and felt it was not a question of what but of how; there seemed to be nothing available to keep up with my idea of giving my baby the healthiest environment.

In the end I enlisted my mum in England to help with the task.During my first few months I found it ever more frustrating: the idea that I had to send to England for the basics, such as organic cotton clothes, bedding, nappies & toiletries. Hence Tinok Yarok (Update 2020: company and link no longer active) was born. I started with a basic collection of organic cotton baby clothes for the first year and spiralled out to bring together everything green & eco for baby and family; and to let you know just how easy it can be!Ah, so where does an eco-mum come into it?

Well it goes like this: we live in a consumer driven society gone mad, all that seems important is to do it fast and cheap and pooh to the consequences. Eco-mum is about slowing down and taking a good look at what is really important, your child’s health and happiness, and this is surprisingly easy & would you believe very cost effective.So here goes for the first tip of the week – plenty more to come and feel free to ask questions, in fact do ask.

Nursery madness

All that new furniture and “essential” items you are all being told are necessary for your baby are NOT. Swap and borrow furniture from friends and family. You can even rent a crib in the beginning. Your baby really doesn’t care if the bed or change stand is new or that the clothes are hand me arounds.

Second-hand shops are opening everywhere around the country and the Middle East and there are great sites too that specialise in second hand items. Facebook has a lot of active groups now.

Think twice before you buy – who are you really buying it for and why? All this new furniture is putting a lot of strain on our world. Think about it this way, in 1999 the world’s population hit 6 billion, and with approximately 75 million babies being born each year, that’s a lot of beds, clothes, bottles etc, etc, being made, bought & thrown away.

Want to know what it’s like to be pregnant as a global nomad and a future eco-mom stuck between two countries? Read Krista’s story.