Even Greener: Especially for newborns, many doctors advise against using disposable baby wipes, which could irritate skin. You can take their advice and invest in a set of flannel wipes, and keep a thermos of warm water near the changing table. Use a gentle, all-natural soap when baby's a little older. Not only will you be better protecting baby's delicate skin, but you'll also be saving money and cutting down on the waste caused by the plastic containers that the wipes come in.

CHANGING TABLE

Green: Picking out the furniture and the decor scheme of the nursery is as fun as pretending you're on the set of Trading Spaces...until you pause to consider how that gorgeous changing table you found might be contributing to the world's deforestation problem. And besides, that new-furniture smell probably means it's been finished with a chemical-laden varnish or paint. Opt instead for the Delphi Changing Table from Argington. The company's furniture is made with wood from managed renewable forests, using low-emission glues and nontoxic finishes. What's more, the company uses virtually no engineered wood, and manufactures its products as efficiently as possible to minimize wasted raw materials and resources. If you love the way the changing table looks, you'll be lucky enough to use it for years — Argington designs its furniture with reusability and longevity in mind; this piece has a removable changing pad tray so it can convert to a sophisticated-looking dresser when baby's out of diapers.

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