Skip to Content

Sustainable Parenting: 15 Eco-Friendly Moms and Dads You Should Follow

Zero Waste Lifestyle

With sustainable parenting, there’s an emphasis on teaching children to be eco-conscious as well as making mindful decisions based on environmental impact.

Basically, you seek to raise kids that love and care about the environment which can be done in a number of ways!

Sustainable Parenting: 15 Eco-Friendly Moms and Dads You Should Follow from www.goingzerowaste.com #zerowaste #parenting #ecofriendly #ecoparents #greenparenting #sustainablekids #kids #ecofriendly

There are no set guidelines so feel free to have fun and experiment with what works best for you and your family.

Some parents may choose to do this by purchasing low waste baby supplies and DIYing their baby’s food.

Others may simply seek to teach their children about the wonders of nature and how to respect and be good stewards of the planet. 

The Earth loves and nurtures us so we should reciprocate that in our actions, purchases, etc.

And, while I’m not a parent myself, I know that parenting can be challenging so I’ve rounded up 15 eco-friendly moms and dads you should follow for inspiration.

These parents are full of wisdom, advice and knowledge, full of tips on raising kids to be eco conscious, earth loving individuals. 

@olworldnew:

Addie from Old World New is a sustainable living enthusiast as well as a mother to an adorable little boy, Greyson (otherwise known as Little Boo).

She’s an intersectional environmentalist who’s constantly sharing products, tips and tricks for living a more eco lifestyle.

Addie is big on slowing down and living intentionally. She also loves to involve Little Boo on her sustainable journey, and every so he often makes a (very cute) appearance on her feed.

Her and her husband also do something very special for Little Boo’s birthday – every year, they set a goal to raise money to plant trees. 

Little Boo is turning 4 this year, so that means it’s tree planting season all over again! He’s finally old enough for them to start having discussions about it too. Addie hopes he will continue this fundraiser as he grows up, along with starting philanthropic endeavors of his own. 

While Addie’s feed isn’t uniquely devoted to sustainable parenting, it still is a topic that she touches on a lot. What’s unique about her approach is Little Boo’s active role in her posts – which hopefully will encourage other parents to get their kids involved in sustainability as early as possible.

Addie also has a blog, Old World New, where you can browse all kinds of topics and categories.

@solittletodo:

Luana Barajas, aka So Little to Do, is a mom of 3 and an intersectional environmentalist.

She’s also an 8th grade teacher, so she certainly knows a thing or two about kids. 

One of her favorite topics to talk about is thrifting and getting things secondhand for your child.

She advocates for people to ask family members and loved ones for hand me downs – you won’t have to pay any money and it keeps something out of the waste stream.

Kids tend to grow quickly, so there’s really no point in buying a bunch of clothes that will only be used for a short duration of time. Getting clothes second hand gives them a second life.

Luana also shares fun, low waste approaches to parenting struggles, like kids parties. Her solution? Birthday outings that focus on creating beautiful memories, rather than items. Genius. 

@zerowastenerd:

Megan is a zero waste educator and author of “An (Almost) Zero Waste Life”. She has an Instagram and her own blog – with a whole section of it is devoted to raising zero waste kids.

Under her babies/kids section, she talks about things like zero waste potty training, DIY recycled crayons, how to throw a zero waste birthday party and more.

She has so many informative posts about raising kids and babies you’ll want to look through all of them. I particularly love her creative DIYs like baby wipe spray and toddler friendly breakfast cookies

Megan is really good at solving a lot of parenting woes people have when they go zero waste. As a parent herself, she knows what the struggle is like and documents what worked for her (which is insanely helpful).

She has such cool posts about how to have a zero waste baby shower, and so much more. 

@sweetpotatosoul:

Sweet Potato Soul, aka Jenné Claiborne, is a vegan chef, author of Sweet Potato Soul: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes for the Southern Flavors of Smoke, Sugar, Spice, and Soul , YouTuber, blogger and new mom. 

She’s an amazing multi-tasker, but what’s most incredible is how she intertwines everything together: Food, nutrition, earth, and motherhood. 

In one of her posts, she says “giving birth really grounded me to Mother Earth, but breastfeeding has humbled, grounded and empowered me even more, everyday.” 

She’s always finding connections between wellness of self and wellness of the planet which really translates into her parenting, and it shows. 

If you’re into wellness, nutrient dense vegan food, and sustainable parenting – check out this mama.

@readtealeaves:

Erin Boyle is the author of the book Simple Matters and founder of the blog Reading My Tea Leaves. She’s an advocate for slow, simple and sustainable living in her tiny Brooklyn apartment. And, she’s a mother.

On her blog, she has a whole section devoted to family. On her family page, you’ll find articles that tie sustainability and child rearing so well. She talks about newborn essentials, what to read when you’re expecting, tidying up, involving kids in activism, and so much more.

She has some really great family-friendly projects on there too (like how to make your own bubbles and bubble wand), along with more thoughtful and reflective pieces. I love her reflections – she has a simple and dreamy way of writing that really entrances the reader.

She also has a popular class on Skillshare called Everyday Minimalism and you can get 2 months of Skillshare for free if you use my link! And, while you’re there don’t forget to check out my class Sustainability Basics.

@rocketscience:

Just as her Instagram name suggests (Rocket Science), Anita Vandyke is a rocket scientist, as well as a mama and author of A Zero Waste Life. Vivian, her adorable daughter, makes several appearances on her feed. 

Anita has a blog full of valuable zero waste tips, but a lot of her parenting tips are found on her Instagram. Though she does have a helpful blog post about zero waste diapers and how to set them up.

On Instagram, Anita tends to get a little more personal – she shares pictures of her daughter, along with lessons about sustainable parenting. One thing she loves talking about is wearing secondhand items – but also cherishing the small moments.

She’s a big advocate for slowing down, reducing screen time, and just connecting in the moment. Especially when babies grow so fast – blink and you might miss something. 

She believes minimalism can be achieved with kids, but balance must be found. It’s okay to have temporary chaos, just as long as you make sure everything is tidy before bed.  

@tinyyellowbungalow:

Jessie is the owner of Tiny Yellow Bungalow, a zero waste online shop and she looks after Vasco, her adorable baby boy. 

This mama is always dishing out helpful, down to earth tips on parenting. She shares insightful tips on her blog and Instagram all the time.

My favorite post in particular is her zero waste baby registry blog post: It that has tons of helpful products any new parent would want. You can use it as inspiration for a baby shower, or simply send the blog post out to friends and family for an upcoming baby shower.

Jessie’s Instagram posts also really capture what life is like with a toddler – in the funniest, cutest way possible. 

One of her biggest eco parents hacks she recommends? Shopping secondhand! Babies outgrow clothes very fast and buying secondhand helps combat this problem while reducing waste and saving money.

@thegreenmum:

Meera Jain, aka The Green Mum, is a low impact, vegan, teacher mom that does her best to provide a sustainable home for her children. She’s always sharing sustainable tips and tricks that make each day a little greener and easier.

Meera is a very down to earth person and she loves to share both her wins, fails, and challenges on her Instagram. She’s not afraid to admit when her eco endeavors go south, which is very refreshing.

She says talking about the environment with your kid should remain positive and focused on solutions before 4th grade, instead of focusing on bad news. If you talk to them about the doom and gloom part of the environment while they’re still too young, this can lead to feelings of guilt, sorrow and inadequacy in young children.

Meera says teaching them that action is the solution is much better than wallowing in our problems. And, it’s always a good idea to spend time in nature – this will help them care about protecting it.

@ilovezerowaste:

Stephanie Wall, aka I Love Zero Waste, has been living the zero waste life since 2010! She’s also a co-founder of Seattle Zero Waste, a community group designed to bring like-minded people together. On top of this, she’s a mother to two precious children. 

Stephanie is always incorporating her children into her posts – and she was recently featured on Into Intentional Podcast about zero waste parenting. She shares tips, tricks, and everyday life challenges she meets head on in her posts.

She hopes to instill a love for the environment into her children so that they will grow up to become conscious consumers too. Stephanie dreams of a sustainable future, one run by renewable energy, for her children to enjoy.

@zero.wasting.away:

Meg, aka Zero.Wasting.Away,  is passionate about maternal health and environmental justice. She’s also a mother to an adorable little girl named Ruby.

She’s always posting pictures of her and Ruby on eco adventures, sharing helpful insights, or reflecting on sustainable parenthood. Meg loves taking Ruby out into the world and exploring things to get her connected to nature at an early age.

Meg advises parents to get out into nature once a day with your baby, if possible. She says, “let them feel the earth around them so they become familiar with what we’re working so hard to save for them.”

She admits that there will be compromises – and she always chooses spending more time with her baby over prioritizing zero waste. And that’s A-okay! Instead of driving 25 miles to go to a bulk store (Ruby hates car rides) she’ll just pick up her food in glass bottles or cardboard packaging. 

“Because in those extra 25 minutes, Ruby could’ve rolled over for the first time and I’d have missed it… I know these moments with my baby are fleeting, so I do the best I can with my zero waste lifestyle and know it’s only temporary.”

@benita_robledo:

Benita Robledo advocates for ethical fashion, is a thrift queen, and a YouTuber. She’s also a mom to an adorable newborn, Huxley.

Benita’s YouTube is all about sustainable, ethical fashion – but her Instagram shows a more personal side to her. She openly shares about her pregnancy and being a mother to a newborn, and she isn’t afraid to say it’s not easy.

She’s an advocate for breast feeding and often talks about the struggles as well as the wins of being a new mom. One of them being the fact she hasn’t worn real clothes in a while (but that’s A-okay and to be expected).

As a thrift queen, she obviously recommends getting everything you can for you (and your baby) from a thrift shop. Some of her favorite hacks are simply using what you have, not caring what you look like, and owning a baby sling.

@sarahrobertsonbarnes:

Sarah Robertson Barnes is the founder of Sustainable in the Suburbs, a blog about low waste living with kids. She’s a sustainability writer, speaker and consultant.

Sarah believes living a sustainable lifestyle with kids isn’t only possible, but critically important for our future (and theirs). She hopes by sharing what works for her family, others will be inspired to make changes in their own lives too.

She firmly believes children (when they’re old enough) should be included in the zero waste movement too. It’s important for them to develop a connection to it so they can understand why their parents raised them this way, and so they can continue it when they’re of age.

I personally love these 10 tips for going zero waste with kids. Sarah breaks everything down into easy to absorb, bite sized pieces that really help. While every child may be different, it’s up to the parent to raise them to be aware of their actions.

@sustainajoel:

Joel Ussery, aka Sustainajoel, is an optimistic dad who believes in the power of renewable energy, wants to feed our world with plants, and rid our world of waste. 

It’s rare to see sustainable dads in the eco sphere, so it’s very refreshing to interact with Joel’s Instagram profile. He’s always doing his best to teach his children about nature and growing food.

If they’re scared of something in nature, it’s likely because they don’t understand it. I love this video of Joel explaining what pine needles are to his daughter. She overcomes her fear by the end of it because of his explanation.

Joel also believes you should always allow your kids to help you with eco projects around the house, like moving topsoil to make compost. It takes patience to let kids help with projects because they tend to slow the process down. But Joel says that’s “a small price to pay for precious moments, physical activity and the opportunity to teach [them] about gardening.”

@honestlymodern:

Jen, founder of the blog Honestly Modern, is a mother to two boys, an environmental advocate and a gardener. She’s passionate about zero waste and anything to do with soil health, secondhand shopping, and composting. You can also find her on Instagram.

Her goal is to make a space for parents and families to explore ideas about climate action, zero waste living, intersectional environmentalism, and regenerative gardening. 

Jen loves to share the creative ways she takes care of her family, and the mishaps along the way. She actively admits she’s not perfect, and that she will make mistakes – but that doesn’t stop her.

She’s all about showcasing what zero waste looks like with an everyday family. She has a whole section of her blog dedicated to family life, and a subcategory all about parenting that’s very helpful. 

@thoughtfullysustainable:

Jess, aka Thoughtfully Sustainable, is a former chemistry teacher, so she’s very good at explaining the science behind sustainability. She’s also currently raising two nature lovers, and the creator of #SustainabilityScienceSunday. She also has a YouTube and a newsletter worth checking out.

Her sustainable science lessons every Sunday are super informative, helpful and great for both kids and adults alike. It’s fun to share with your kids, as well as read for yourself!

The science lessons she teaches ranges from examining rainwater acidity to talking about what happens to food when it’s sent to a landfill. She likes to involve her own children in these experiments of course – and encourages other parents to recreate the experiments with their kids.

Jess’s main goal is to raise compassionate, contemplative children that will choose to do the right thing, not the easy thing.


What do you think of these eco-friendly moms and dads? What eco parents are you following?

0 Comments
Join The Conversation

Share Your Thoughts

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *