Hey eco Māmā! Here are some easy things you can start this week to be more planet-friendly
Being a mum at home with babies or preschoolers is a whole different universe. There is suddenly stuff everywhere… tiny socks, crumbs in places that should not logically ever have crumbs, toys breeding overnight… and a constant stream of “how does such a tiny human generate this much waste?”
The good news is that you have the power! Tiny habits become your children’s future defaults. And you don’t need to become Pinterest perfect zero-waste overnight. Start exactly where you are and aim for small, repeatable wins. You might even find that being kinder to the planet will help save your pennies too!
Start with swaps in your day that don’t add mental load:
Trial reusable wipes
Ecopack Bamboo Cloths are a game changer. Yes disposable wipes are “easy”… but they are also one of the biggest weekly landfill contributors for baby homes. Swap to reusable bamboo cloths that are super soft, absorbent and can survive multiple washes. Keep a roll in your change table and a small wet bag in your nappy bag — job done. This one is a money saver too as one pack replaces many wipe packets.
2. Snacks on the go
The mum economy is 70% snacks, right?! Instead of endless snap lock bags try Ecopack Compostable Snack Bags. Perfect for portions (grapes, crackers, freeze dried fruit, cheese cubes) and they’re compostable. Bulk buy snacks and portion yourself. You can reuse these bags over a number times before committing them to the compost heap along with any food scraps. Less plastic, cheaper per serve, toddler happy, and your garden will benefit from composted nutrients.
3. Second-hand is the gold standard
Clothes, books, toys, walker wagons, bassinets – get what you can second-hand. Kids grow out of phases every 4 minutes (not literally but it sure feels like it!) so second-hand reduces waste AND saves so much money. Look on Trade Me, FB Marketplace, and your local Plunket— they are treasure troves.
4. Kitchen bin system that doesn’t feel like work
Make composting easy and make recycling visible. The easier the system the less you throw in landfill by accident. Use Ecopack Compostable Bin Liners and a kitchen countertop compost caddy—and make sure you’re diverting all that food and green waste from landfill. No gross factor. No plastic bag guilt.
5. Make laundry more planet aligned (but realistic)
Wash full loads in cold water and sun-dry whenever possible. Sunshine is a great natural disinfectant so only use your dryer when you NEED to. And try concentrated laundry liquids instead of giant bulky plastic jugs. One of our inspiring mum/customers uses an Ecopack compost bin as a laundry bin for her dirty cloths (smart use of odour trapping charcoal filters!).
6. Say yes to reusables most of the time
Kit your nappy bag out with a stainless steel drink bottle, silicone baby spoons, reusable coffee cup, reuse jar, and cloth bibs. Using cloth nappies even just part-time makes a huge difference. Try using cloth on at-home days and you’ll soon find you’ve reduced your expensive disposable nappies 20–50%.
7. Buy less consumable “baby gadgets”
So many baby gadgets are designed for short product life. Borrow to trial and see if you really need it. Then buy only what you actually loved using daily.
Permission to be imperfect
This is not about martyr mum burnout. This is about gentle, affordable, values-aligned direction. Your kids grow up thinking this is normal:
- compost goes in food scraps bin
- clothes can be second-hand
- snacks don’t need plastic every time
- reusable wipes are normal
That’s legacy level influence. Your home is already your child’s first environmental education. You don’t need a degree and you don’t need perfection. You just need small steady eco-friendly habits — and brands that make raising Kiwi kids easier not harder. Start with one or two swaps this week and celebrate your wins. Good luck; you’ve got this māmā!