Best Eco Stuff

By now, most of us have heard the term ‘eco mom’, and many of us identify as one. But what exactly is an eco mom, anyway?

Simply put, it’s a mother who makes decisions for her family and household based on environmental concerns – whether it’s choosing VOC-free paint for the kids’ rooms, making meals with organic locally grown food or installing energy-efficient appliances in the home.

What started the ‘eco mom’ phenomenon?

Over the last few decades, products have gotten less natural and more chemical-laden. Parents started to wonder – what exactly is in that baby shampoo? Is the finish on that plastic toy safe for my baby to chew on? Is my toddler breathing in harmful fumes when she plays on the new carpeting in her bedroom? We’ve had less control as consumers over where our belongings come from and what’s in them.

Eco moms decided to take that control away from corporations and hold it in their own hands, to protect the health and safety of their children. Over time, it became apparent that there are a lot of things parents can do to shield their kids from harm and help the planet at the same time.

It’s important to understand that the whole ‘eco mom’ thing isn’t a trend – it’s a way of life. Being an eco mom is motivated by a deep desire to make the world a better place for your kids, so it encompasses many aspects of life, from non-toxic cleaning products to setting an environmentally responsible example for the kids through actions like taking public transit, recycling and conserving water.

Eco moms aren’t driven by consumerism – they’re driven by ethical and moral concerns, which makes them a force to be reckoned with. They arm themselves with the knowledge to make the best decisions possible for themselves, their families and the earth. Since eco moms tend to do a lot of research, greenwashers beware – they’re not likely to fall for sneaky attempts to label undeserving products as ‘green’.

It’s a really fun time to be an eco mom today, when there are so many product choices out there. No longer do environmentally conscious parents have to settle for scratchy, unattractive clothing and boring household items simply because they seek more natural choices. Nowadays fun patterns, bright colors, modern shapes and exciting new styles abound. Green choices seem to be around every corner.

In this competitive market, companies will have to try harder to get moms’ attention and gain their loyalty, and that’s a good thing for all of us. It raises the ‘green bar’, ensuring that every product marketed to eco moms is either top notch, or destined to fail. After all, as many eco moms might say, ‘if it’s not good enough for my baby, it’s not good enough for the earth’.

If you’re interested in meeting some fellow eco moms in your area, check out EcoMomAlliance.org.