The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down-to-Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet [Paperback]

Joy Hatch (Author), Rebecca Kelley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2010

Is it really possible to raise an eco-baby without breaking the bank? While the average parents spend almost $7,000 gearing up for a new addition, pregnant pals Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley each shelled out less than a thousand—and they did it by going green. In The Eco-nomical Baby Guide, the authors prove that bringing up baby can be easy on the pocketbook and the planet.
 
Focusing on the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra and writing in a humorous but straightforward style, these resourceful mothers dish about everything from eco-friendly diapers to daycare, making green living with baby accessible to everyone—even those on the slenderest of budgets. Your baby’s happiness and safety top Hatch and Kelley’s agenda as they offer tips on shopping for new and used green goods, blending homemade organic baby food, and limiting the piles of baby gear that threaten to overtake the living room.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lifelong friends Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley emphasize progress instead of perfection as they blog about their “eco-nomical” adventures (and misadventures) at www.greenbabyguide.com. They both teach English, co-write two eco-friendly living columns, and enjoy raising their own green babies in Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang; Original edition (March 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584798319
• ISBN-13: 978-1584798316
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #359,034 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical and Green, March 29, 2010

By 

S. Stewart "Stuvie" (The Dalles, OR) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down-to-Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet (Paperback)

As a grandparent who has the privilege of being a regular one day a week babysitter, I found the Eco-nomical Baby Guide to be an entertaining and informative book. I was appreciative of the encouragement to find toys among everyday household items, buy quality used items when needed, and avoid the trap of too much stuff. There seem to be many more "green" options than when we had our own children. This book is well researched and provides a wealth of practical suggestions. It was not a heavy-handed environmental rant. The book provided a continuum of options and rationales in a very readable and often humorous way. Eco-nomical Baby Guide will give parents a strategy for becoming better consumers, better citizens, and possibly even happier and more content people. I am buying this book for baby shower gifts.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good For a First Baby, March 30, 2011

By 

Tara Peterson (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down-to-Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet (Paperback)

I recently purchased this book as I get ready for baby #2. There were things I would have like to have done differently with my daughter when she was a baby so I thought that this might help with the next one. A lot of the information was common sense I thought (buying used furniture saves money, making your own food is better, etc.) but would be good information for those first time parents. The only section I really liked was the one on clother diapering. I am planning to cloth diaper #2 and found some good information on it. None of this information was something I couldn't easily find online. In the end, like I said before, this was a good book for the first time parent that is looking to save some money and do something good for the planet.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars nothing that innovative, September 30, 2011

By 

H - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down-to-Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet (Paperback)

When I actually had a chance to look through this book in person I was disappointed- most of the 'eco-nomical' suggestions were things I had already figured out myself, things I'd already been doing for years. The kind of thing any sensible person could figure out to save money or be more green like borrowing or buying things second-hand, cloth diapering, not buying a lot of extra baby gear you don't really need, etc. To me it was just common sense stuff and wasn't teaching me anything new. I returned it.