I just read the best parenting/family book of 2008 (okay, it was published in 2007, but I just read it...). It's revolutionary actually. It will rock your perspectives, alter your thinking, and change your world (literally). It's Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care by Dr. Alan Greene.
When I first picked up the book, I didn't have particularly high expectations. I thought it might be slightly too hippie or agenda-laden for my taste, but Dr. Greene sucked me in from the very first pages. I underlined and nodded my head and underlined some more. I read passages aloud to my husband. I turned off the lights and opened our blinds to read by the window (it's important to conserve electricity and energy, you know).
This book inspires action. It compels the reader to DO - to step out and make incremental changes to better our children's lives, our own lives, and our world. You'll learn how to make simple lifestyle changes for your baby in the womb, in the labor and delivery room, in the nursery, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, and beyond (those are the chapter titles). You'll find out what it really means to buy organic (and how to get started), how to choose baby care products that are free of harmful chemicals, whether cloth diapers or disposable diapers are better for the environment (the answer might surprise you), and how to treat ear infections (don't just reach for the antibiotics).
The wealth of information is astonishing, but it's presented in a concise, easy-to-read-and-digest format. The book makes excellent use of white space, illustrations, and cool text boxes with "Try This Today" tips, "Buying Green Guides" (that showcase various green products), and "Green Baby Stories" (which share tiny tales of how other parents are going green).
If Dr. Greene hasn't made it on the Oprah show yet, I expect (and hope) that he'll receive an invitation soon. Greene has created the only baby care book that specifically focuses on "greenness" (it's about time, by the way).
In case you're wondering exactly what "green" is - it's "a word representing a way of living in which we strive, with conscious awareness, to do things each day that in small, incremental steps improve the quality of our environment by preserving forests, cleaning air, husbanding soil, protecting wildlife, valuing dwindling resources, and at the same time maintaining our climate and sustaining our planet's crucial resources (p. 3)."
You should really go buy the book. While you do, I'll be over here making my "go green" to-do list...
WIN IT! One mama will win a copy of Raising Baby Green: The Earth Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care by Dr. Alan Greene. To enter, simply leave a comment and your e-mail address on this post by Monday, March 3, at midnight. The winner will be announced and contacted on Tuesday, March 4. * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.
* UPDATE * The winner is #106 mommie. Congratulations!
Blogger wouldn't let me leave a comment last night. If it's not too late, please include me into the contest! THanks!
Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!
Please enter me!
Mommie
http://www.mommieshome.net
mommie@mommieshome.net
I would love this! Thanks!
id love this!
We'd love this!
Count me in!
I would learn alot from this!
great contest!masonsgranny59AT yahoodotcom
What a great book! I'd love to win.
Thanks!
Count me in lara(at)apples-n-oranges(dot)com
Oh this is a nice book. I really need this one. I have someone very close who really could use this book. thanks so much for having this contest.
perfect!
chornerdevine at gmail dot com
please enter me
klp1965@verizon.net
I'm definitely interested.
We are definitely wanting to be greener!! Count me in!
this sounds great, please enter me, thanks!
Great giveaway. I just posted some ideas about having a "greener" Easter basket - every little bit helps, right? Thank you for the opportunity.
count me in, we are starting to live greener!!
Sounds like a great book!
My pregnant daughter tries to live aa "GREEN" a life as possible. This would be perfect for her.
Thanks for the chance to win.
looks liek a great book would love to read
We're making "baby steps" to becoming greener. This wouls be great to speed the process up and get our whole family off and running....
Linda_warner@juno.com
Count me in!
michaelswadley@yahoo.com
I would love to win this. Thanks!
Having my son has opened up a whole new world to me that I didn't know existed. I have a lot more to learn about being green.
wakeyes AT yahoo DOT com
Sounds like a great book. please enter me. Thanks.
amomspeaks at gmail dot com
I'm trying to do everything as green as possible (within budget) so I'd really love to read this book!
(my emails on my profile page)
I have been thinking about going green although the only thing I have done so far is use the energysaver light bulbs. I want to get some energysaving appliances, but can't afford them at the moment. I would love to use this book for more ideas on how to start this process sooner. Thanks for the opportunity.
dreamweaver21us(at)hotmail(dot)com
thanks
Being green ROCKS!
Would love to own this book - thanks!!
I four kids, 2 teens and 2 babies, I nee this book really bad
Please enter me
I'm all for going green :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
ols dot moonmaiden at gmail dot com
Sounds like a good read.
Please enter me and thanks!
schwartz[dot]lori[at]gmail.com
Would love to get a head start... we're thinking about baby!
I'd love to win a copy. We have been taking baby steps towards living a green as possible life.. and some small ways Ive been changing is reusing ALL of my packing materials.. (sorry ladies when you get prizes from me they will be in sometimes well used bubble mailers.. but please reuse them again if possible! LOL)
I blogged you too
http://www.prizeatron.com
I love the idea. I've been trying to reduce my family's wastefulness as is. I need more guidance on how to raise a baby simply and without all the extra waste.
Thanks for bringing this book to our attention!
Marissa
md-sweeps at hotmail dot com
This looks like something I need to read!
taureau AT yahoo DOT com
What a GREAT giveaway! I'd love to read this book.
Mommy Bee
luvmybabybee(at)gmail(dot)com
I would really love to read this book. I try to be green, but I have a husband that has a hard time being green. Maybe the book would help. We were planning on getting diapers from Gaiam that are mostly material with an insert to be green to the environment.
We are trying to have a baby.
Sincerely,
Fawn George
mammalnut2000@yahoo.com
I would love to know more simple ways to be earth friendly.
would love to check this book out and make some changes.
barbara_guerra2000@yahoo.com
great book
I would love to win this. It is on my amazon wish list! Thanks.
lucycontest at gmail.com
Help me to live green!
Sounds like an excellent book! With baby coming in May, I should start reading now!
thanks for hosting the contest!
nifferjeno at gmail dot com
Wow!!
would love this to help simplify life
moorhouseashley@yahoo.com
thanks for the contest,
ashley
I would love to read this and get some more tips for living green!! Thanks...
stbaisch[at]yahoo[dot]com
WE just found out were pregnent...what timing!
Sounds like the perfect gift for my best friend who just announced her pregnancy!
My oldest son is constantly trying to get me to go green. Old habits die hard.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Oooh, I'd love this!!!
This book sounds so great! Please pick me, I'd love to win it! :)
my husband is JUST beginning to cooperate with my recycling efforts, so this would certainly help us out!
Just joined our first CSA - we're working on it!! (but would love to learn more!!)
jockeyforyou[at]yahoo[dot]com
OK Stephanie ~ I want it ... I am not "green" but I should put forth an effort. :)
looks like a great read
You always have a giveaway for the best products available to our little ones! I would love this book.
Thanks
palmersfATcomcastDOT.net
It seems like the book contains a bunch of great advice how to "go green"!
Thanks for the contest
please enter me
This sounds like a great book. I would love to get started "going green" but I need suggestions! Oh, and thanks for the great birthday club website recommendation - it's awesome! :)
Sounds like a good place to start if you'd like to "go green". I'd love to read it!
I would love to find more ways to raise my son green. We are trying to move more and more green all the time.
Please, please enter me! What a great giveaway!!
krgarcia8@aol.com
I love books that stir me up to action and this sounds like just that kind of book! :)
This book looks great...I'd love to win!
Looks like a timely & important book. One I definitely should read.
Count me in!
This book sounds great!!
thank you!
Enter me, please.
I would love to read this book.
want to win
Great, thanks.
What a wonderful-sounding book! fireyirishangel99 AT yahoo DOT com
My daughter is pregnant and is talking about making changes. She doesn't really know where to start; this book would help her a lot.
This looks like such a fabulous book...we're starting out in the process and I would love to be prepared from day 1!
Fabulous!
dansan826 at yahoo.com
Sounds great!
I'm so glad you posted about this book...even if i don't win i will be purchasing it, as we are in the process of getting ready to have a baby and are very concerned about the environmental and ethical issues involved.
I would love to win this book. We're due in May and are struggling to maintain our green ethic amidst the baby-industrial-complex.
Wow! I just checked this book out of the library and was pleasantly surprised to see it here. It is really good, as it goes beyond just baby things. There is stuff about keeping a green house and how to conserve energy. A lot of things in here I was already aware of, but I like that the author isn't too preachy. This is an especially timely book with all of the scary toxic things that are coming to light regarding kids toys and harmful additives in health & beauty products. Highly recommended read!
This woudl be a fantastic addition to our library - we've been looking for a book like this.
Sounds like a great way to learn about helping our environment from an early age.
I've been looking for information to green my baby(due in June), and this is definitely the book I would like to read. Thanks!
Jessie
choujessie@hotmail.com
would love to win :)
I want to win!
Thanks, its very important that our next generation be even greener than us..we've only just started.
Sounds like an informative read.
enter me please
Thank you for this giveaway
This looks great! I'm interested in reading it.
Enter me too please.
To live green with baby is to believe and plan for their future and your present.
Any information on how we can save things for our future generations (Even if they never know it.) The better the earth is!
Thank you for this giveaway!
You have the greatest giveaways! I am so into "going green" for my little one. Love this!
I'd love to read this book! My husband and I are trying to think of all the ways we can be more 'green' conscious.
Recently having a second baby has inspired me to do what I can to make their world better. This sounds like a great read! Thank you for the thoughtful review and the chance to win a copy. Sarah
beezerly(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love anything that can help me live greener. thanks for another awesome giveaway steph!
Evening, It is amazing all of the books and things that I don't know about! This book is great. It makes me very happy to see this "green" movement taking hold! Please enter me in your drawing. Thanks,Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
Wow, I would LOVE to read this one- we're trying to become a "greener" family, one step at a time!
Count me in!