The Eco-Nomical Baby Guide - A Book Review

I was given the extraordinary opportunity by Joy and Rebecca over at Green Baby Guide to review their new book, The Eco-nomical Baby Guide. Let me just tell you, I wish this book had come out about two years earlier! I did or do a lot of the practices outlined in the book, but I had to do all my own research (a lot from their blog). This book would have saved me tons of Internet hours!

The book is "a down-to-earth way for parents to save money and the planet." It is 193 pages of little things we can do as parents to save some money and save the planet, which I think is just awesome, because really, who doesn't want to leave Earth better for our children? I think a lot of people want to do the green thing, but are put off by the cost they associate with being an eco-conscious parent. Joy and Rebecca outline topics such as necessities versus niceties (and let me tell you, I know from experience that you don't need half the stuff that BRU tells you you do!), buying used gear, supporting eco-friendly companies, cloth diapering (my fave!), feeding your baby (breastfeeding and making your own baby food, as well as organic store bought options), and simple things you can do right now.

I think the thing I like best about this book is they say throughout "progress, not perfection." The attitude of the book is that every little step helps and you shouldn't beat yourself up if you can't achieve a negative carbon footprint. And all their tips are tried and true! The write from their experiences, so they have had success with the tips they write about. Aside from some very simple tips, they also give actual cost breakdowns and websites.

I would highly recommend this book for any new or expecting parent, not just the ones with a tendency towards the greener lifestyle. This book spoke to both my "crunchy" side as well as my frugal side!