Pregnant Halle Berry Is Designing An Eco-Friendly Nursery

Oct 22 |archive | subscribe

The 41-year-old actress, who is expecting her first child with model boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, plans to go green. The couple is already building an eco-friendly nursery and promise to use only organic and eco-friendly products, even down to the nappies.

The Oscar-winning neo-greenie told People Magazine, “I’m going to really try hard to make it all organic! They even have organic disposable diapers now that you can use.”

An eco-nursery is a great place to start. According to the EPA, indoor air is three times more polluted than outdoor air and paints and finishes are among the leading causes. Berry ought to seek out natural and low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints and the room should be carpet free.

The décor should make use of pre-owned furniture mixed with high-quality new furniture made of sustainable, low-toxic materials. Toys should also be as natural as possible, made with sturdy wood or organic cotton and contain no small pieces that could easily fit into an infant’s mouth.

Berry should seek out second-hand green clothing options and new clothing made from non-toxic organic cotton, hemp, bamboo or wool fabrics. Hand-me-downs and swapped items from friends and family are another good way to get your hands on what you need. Diapers, or nappies, should be the fitted organic cloth variety with easy fastens. Using a diaper laundering service continues the cut on a baby’s ecological footprint.

Some green parents go nappy-neutral and counteract their baby’s carbon footprints by buying carbon-offset packages, which calculate a child’s diaper impact on the planet and invest your dollars in carbon-reducing projects.

Breast-feeding is the most natural way to go, however, if the actress bottle-feeds, she should use fair-trade organic infant formula. When the child is older, organic baby food. Baby body care should be kept simple, natural, organic and fragrance-free. The Berry-clan should also consider showering together as a family since water is a precious resource.

Berry says she’ll be trying for a second child as soon as her first is born. If you consider the combined gene pool of the glamorous couple, odds are in favor of some pretty cute off spring. Still, if the couple wants to fully embrace an eco-friendly lifestyle they could avoid contributing to overpopulation and consider raising a child already waiting for adoptive parents.