Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care

"I see myself as relatively environmentally conscious. But this book really made me think more closely about this, and also provided various options for improvement. I really appreciated the suggestions for certain brands or website so I could then go and do my own further research. I am pleased to say that I believe I'm now better informed, and my buying decisions are certainly more environmentally friendly and more gentle for our baby than previously."
~ Written on 2008-08-22

"This book is a great resource for parents who want some ideas on how to make their children's environment more healthy. The author presents many ideas for ways to go green in your home from building to existing structures, helps parents make healthy food choices and explains why it is important to be aware of the products you are using on your child. I also must note that the author mentions homebirth as a positive choice that may be right for some families which is very open-minded for an MD. I have 3 children and am constantly trying to find more eco-friendly options and was happy that this book provided me with some new ideas as well as many excellent links!"
~ Written on 2008-08-22

"My wife and I just finished "Raising Baby Green" and found it to be informative - but not preachy - providing practical advice to help us make decisions that will not only help raise our baby-to-be in a more healthy manner, but also help the environment itself in the process. Dr. Greene is right on with his theory that our health and the planet's are interwoven - and it's great to do things that accomplish both! "
~ Written on 2008-08-13

"I think this is a very good to start raising a green baby. I wasn't the most eco-educated person out there, but I tried to do my part. When my wife and I started to try to have a baby, I wanted to have a healthy baby and started to do more research. What I like about this book is that it has a ton of information and resources and all laid out in a logical manner. The book was very easy to read, although I did not read every single page. I took note of a lot of tips (just bought some castile soap from Trader Joe's w/ my reusable bag) and websites. I liked the pages on the chemicals you should not purchase. I actually wrote them on back of my printout of the Environmental Defense Fund Seafood Selector guide. I used that chemicals list to check against sunscreen that I was looking to purchase, which I found that most sunscreens have one or more of those chemicals even the ones that say organics. I won't follow every single advice in the book just because of practicality or cost reasons, but at least I'll be a more educated parent on raising a greener baby. As with every book, you should use your own common sense when following an author's advice.

On a side note, there is so much information out there and sometimes conflicting information. It seems to me that one study will contradict another study that was done just a few months ago!! Case in point is Brenda Murray's review on when to fill-up your car. One study says it doesn't matter and another says it does matter (take a look at the comments on her review). I live in Phoenix and they actually do say you should fill your car up at night (or early morning) not because of air pollution, but because of how the regulators (I think) on the pumps work. It actually cost less to fill-up when it the temperature is cooler than when it is hot. I wish I could find the Arizona Republic article that talked more to the technical side of why this is the case and why the state is trying to change the regulators.

Lastly, in Brenda Murray's review, the author (Alan Greene) actually comments on her review. Some people might find this self-serving or being an ego maniac, but I found it very refreshing as he wanted to provide additional insight. I don't know if many authors would do this, but I found it very refreshing for the author to do this and the tone of his comment was not negative or preachy. In my opinion, he does really seem to care about the subject."
~ Written on 2008-07-16

"I absolutely love this book! As a mother of a two-year-old and one due in October, this book is a must-have for any family wanting to live a healthy, smart, and eco-friendly life. There are small, simple changes suggested in the book we can all easily make as well as less obvious ideas that the average person probably would not be aware of. This easy to read book is straight forward and extremely educational. I have personally recommended Raising Baby Green to several friends, and I wish I had it when I was pregnant with my first child. You don't have to drive a Prius and live off-the-grid to appreciate Dr. Greene's ideas. One of the best on the market!"
~ Written on 2008-07-15