2 women aim to improve your baby's carbon footprint

Anibal Ortiz / KPCC

Erich Soendker, 3, plays through a path of doorways as his mother shops for costumes, cleats and winter clothes during the presale at LA Kids Consignment in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, September, 19, 2012. The consignment includes clothing, toys, books and other items at discounted prices and will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday.

Deepa Fernandes / KPCC

Baby Planner Vanessa Karubian Saxe of BabyTalk LA

Anibal Ortiz / KPCC

Jessica Laura of Baldwin Park shops for clothes during the presale at LA Kids Consignment in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, September, 19, 2012. The consignment includes clothing, toys, books and other items at discounted prices and will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday.

Anibal Ortiz / KPCC

Leighann Namihira of Pasadena looks through a pile of books for her 5-year-old daughter during the presale at LA Kids Consignment in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, September, 19, 2012. The consignment includes clothing, toys, books and other items at discounted prices and will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday.

Anibal Ortiz / KPCC

Jayne Lasley, of Westlake VIllage shops for clothes next to her two grandchildren during the presale at LA Kids Consignment in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, September, 19, 2012. The consignment includes clothing, toys, books and other items at discounted prices and will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday.

Anibal Ortiz / KPCC

Consigners, VIP pass holders and volunteers shop a day early during the presale at LA Kids Consignment in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, September, 19, 2012. The consignment includes clothing, toys, books and other items at discounted prices and will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday.

Anibal Ortiz / KPCC

Consigners, VIP pass holders and volunteers shop a day early during the presale at LA Kids Consignment in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, September, 19, 2012. The consignment includes clothing, toys, books and other items at discounted prices and will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday.

Anibal Ortiz / KPCC

Consigners, VIP pass holders and volunteers shop a day early during the presale at LA Kids Consignment in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, September, 19, 2012. The consignment includes clothing, toys, books and other items at discounted prices and will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday.

Anibal Ortiz / KPCC

Jill Ordonez, left, of Granada Hills and Shannon Martin, right, of Chatsworth both have 5-year-old twins and have been regulars since 2007 at LA Kids Consignment in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, September, 19, 2012. The consignment includes clothing, toys, books and other items at discounted prices and will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday.

Anibal Ortiz / KPCC

Kristin Nelson, owner of LA Kids Consignment, shuffles items around during the presale in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, September, 19, 2012. The consignment includes clothing, toys, books and other items at discounted prices and will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday.

Anibal Ortiz / KPCC

Consigners, VIP pass holders and volunteers shop a day early during the presalein a warehouse at LA Kids Consignment in Burbank, Calif., Wednesday, September, 19, 2012. The consignment includes clothing, toys, books and other items at discounted prices and will be open to the public from Thursday to Sunday.

The birth of a child means a big commitment – and a big expense – way before college tuition. From pre-natal DVDs and how-to books, to diapers, bottles, high chairs, baby carriers, car seats…the costs add up. So does the environmental impact.

A 2009 study by researchers at Oregon State University found that children born in this country add dramatically to the carbon footprint of their parents, much more so than babies born in most other countries. 

Why? One answer has to do with all the baby-toddler “stuff” produced and sold to parents across the Untied States.

Consider that a baby born in Bangladesh, with a carbon footprint 168 times smaller than an American baby, probably does not have endless disposable diapers, three kinds of baby slings, a high chair, play mats, teething toys, special cups and plates in friendly kiddy colors, developmental toys...the list goes on.

All this “stuff” that parents, their doting relatives and friends buy has environmentalists worried.

Two women are doing what they can to help: A baby planner in Beverly Hills who advises her clients to only buy what they need, and a mom whose yard sale of her infants' used stuff grew into one of the largest consignment sales in the country.

Imagine a 37,000-square-foot warehouse filled with toys, books, miniature kitchens, ride-ons, trikes, scooters, outdoor play equipment, diaper pails, kiddy room decorations, strollers, high chairs, clothes, shoes and more.

The L.A. Kids Consignment sale happens every three months. Today through Sunday it's at 157 W. Providencia Ave. in Burbank from 9 am to 5 pm.