If you are a new mom or dad, you will have plenty of questions on the best way to raise a baby. Once you have that new little person in the house, there are plenty of steps that can be taken to protect them, yourself and the environment. Living a green life means cutting down on the waste you produce as much as possible, while being gentle on yourself and the environment.

Here are some helpful tips any new parent can incorporate into their lives to be more environmentally friendly:

• Cleaning products: Using toxic products to clean up after a baby has harmful effects on both the baby's health and the environment. Avoid letting any harmful chemicals seep into the atmosphere or into your child's lungs and skin by only cleaning with eco-friendly products and ingredients such as baking soda, lemons and vinegar.
• Diapers: Avoid throwing away tons of disposable diapers every month by making the switch to cloth. By reusing cloth diapers, you will be producing far less waste every time baby goes to the bathroom.
• Feeding: The greenest way to feed your baby is to simply breastfeed. You will be cutting out all the waste that is produced by formula containers, bags and bottles. By not having to make multiple trips to the store every week, you will also reduce your transportation costs and the pollutants you release into the air. This option will also save you money. But if breastfeeding is not an option, avoid plastic bottles made from Bisphenol (BPA), PVC and Melamine. They can potentially release toxic compounds into the formula.

Even if you are not a new parent, you can still find ways to increase your energy efficiency by having an energy audit from Alban Inspections.