At Stork Exchange, our mission is to reduce the impact of parenting financially and on the Earth. We developed our second hand baby store with the desire to inspire parents like us to take action by investing in sustainable practices that not only green your parenting routine, but ultimately can reduce waste on our precious planet.

In honor of Earth Day, check out these simple, practical tips for more eco-friendly parenting. 

Shop Second Hand

Think about it, our babies grow quickly! Constantly outgrowing clothing, toys, loungers, bouncers, bassinets and more. And once your little love has moved on, where do those items go? We’d like to think that items are being passed down or recycled but the harsh reality is many end up in a landfill. More than 183 million items of kids' clothing are thrown away every year, alone! Not to mention the cribs they’ve outgrown, used strollers and more. 

We realized that so many parents like us wanted to purchase more of their baby goods second hand but were frustrated with the hassle of buying things off Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. It’s proven difficult to find what you want, determine what condition the items are actually in, and coordinate pickups. That’s why we created Stork Exchange.

Our second hand baby store strives to simplify this whole process. We inspect and clean every item before it's cataloged, giving parents confidence that only items in good condition and from brands they love will be on our website. Our online shop makes it easy to find and purchase the items parents want. And we ship directly to your door in eco-friendly packaging, making the process convenient and better for the environment.

Consider Cloth Diapers

If you’re looking for a surefire way to make an eco-friendly impact, give reusable diapers an honest try. The statistics surrounding diaper waste are staggering to say the least. Around 20 billion pieces of used diapers end up in landfills each year, which generates more than 3.5 million tons of diaper waste.

Yes, cloth reusable diapers may take some getting used to, but making the switch can massively reduce your parenting waste. PS: We’re speaking from experience too! If you want some tips on how to get into a groove with reusable diapers, send us an email or visit us on the Stork Exchange Instagram, we’d be happy to share our story!

Rethink Your Washing

Another practical, easy-to-implement way to reduce your environmental impact is to modify your washing machine usage. Only wash full loads of laundry, keeping water temperature low. Whenever possible, opt for line drying naturally – you truly can’t beat the fresh air!

And next time you’re running low on suds, consider reaching for a non-toxic detergent. Non-toxic simply means made without irritating, polluting chemicals, which unfortunately are a main ingredient used by major laundry detergent brands. If you’re a DIY’er, pay Google a visit where you can find a lot of creative non toxic laundry detergent recipes. 

Research Your Baby Products

Selecting eco-friendly, cruelty-free baby products is a conscious way to honor Earth Day all year long. Our best advice, look for baby products that are free from harsh chemicals and fragrance. Extra points for products that are stored and shipped in recycled or reusable packaging too!

Get Outside

Sounds silly doesn’t it? Get outside to reduce your environmental impact? Yup, you bet! It’s easy to get stuck in the rut of watching TV (even educational programming!) and driving everywhere when you venture out. Take the time to introduce your little love to nature. Walk or opt for public transit whenever possible. Not only are these small acts good for our environment, but the fresh air and movement is good for you and baby too!