‘Green’ Doesn’t Justify Ridiculous Spending on Baby Gear

“Crystal’s Soapbox,” published each Thursday, is a column by conservative Texas mom Crystal Arcand who loves to rant about issues that relate to her kids….and yours.

Tabloids have long chronicled every move by celebrity moms. There’s even an entire blog devoted to celebrity babies, detailing their high-end diaper bags, pacifiers, and other accoutrement. For the ambitious among us mortal moms, you can even find out where to blow your money on the same baby paraphernalia that the stars have. Most moms I know don’t condone such exorbitant spending, citing it as gaudy, wasteful, and pretentious. What strikes me, though, is that many of those same moms will hand over a large chunk of cash for baby goods and justify the cost because the products are “green.”

Since when does “green” make it more intelligent or fiscally responsible or better parenting to spend a ton of money? In my mind, green living is more than just buying environmentally-friendly or recycled goods. It’s a mindset to reduce, reuse, and recycle – in other words, get the most out of what you have, including your money. Call me colorblind, but I don’t see how spending $35 dollars for a bamboo swaddling blanket that will be used maybe six months is green – all I see is my green money leaving a black hole in my wallet. Even bargain king Amazon doesn’t have a 100% bamboo blanket for under $21.99. What normal parent spends $22 for a baby blanket???

Look, I’m all for going green and being environmentally responsible and reducing carbon footprints. What I’m not for is teaching our children to go broke in the process.