INFANT FEEDING

AFFECTS

CLIMATE CHANGE

Infant feeding options

Option 1 Option 2

Bottle feeding Breastfeeding

Let us take a look at both options – starting with bottle

feeding …….

Milk fed in bottles can come from cows or human mothers.

Cows reared for the production of milk frequently are made to pasture on land

that is purposely deforested for this use; Though it’s not their fault cows produce

much of the methane that contributes to the green house effect.

Bottle feeding cows’ milk

Cows' milk is expressed by machines; it is then transported to the factories that turn cows' milk into a powdered formula for the

consumption of human babies.

The seemingly insignificant little bottle requires tens of factories to manufacture

the products used in artificial infant feeding - all using up precious scarce fuel and causing pollution

and waste!

Factories that make formula for human infants

Factories that make tin for the cans and factories that make the

cans

Factories that make the plastic for the bottles, factories that make the

bottles, factories that make the caps

Factories that make the teats

Factories that make the labels and do the printing

Factories that make the sterilisers

Factories that make the cardboard boxes and lifters for the packaging

Further use of precious scarce fuel is used in transport.

All these products have to be first intra-transported

between the manufacturers and then transported to the

distributors in all industrialised countries and in

some underdeveloped countries causing more

pollution and waste!

Once the products are at the shops – you have to use your resources like money, time and effort - to purchase the products to feed

your child….and transport them to your home.

At home you will spend more precious time, effort and money to make up the bottles – measuring, boiling water, mixing,

washing up, sterilising …

When you express your breastmilk you are relieving the Earth from the burden of

dealing with the negative results of much of the manufacturing processes mentioned

above …

Bottle feeding human mothers’ milk

…. but you are still using products like pumps, bottles or

cups, teats, packaging, bags,

containers, fridges and using resources like fuel in the form

of gas and electricity, money,

time and effort.

BOTTLE FEEDING CONTRIBUTES TO GLOBAL WARMING

To make up this bottle for your baby - Earth, its inhabitants and its atmosphere have to suffer!

Now ……a look at breastfeeding

Baby is put to the mother’s breast …the shortest distance possible for fresh

human milk to go to its destination in optimum condition with no negative

effects on the Earth, its atmosphere and its present and future inhabitants ....

… for as long as you want,

wherever you want, whenever you want

!

The choices we make Cleaner climate is safeguarded by the intelligent

choices we make as individuals regarding our consumption and our behaviour.

Breastfeeding is a natural resource that requires

little energy and produces little waste. It costs near to nothing to make and time dedicated

directly concerns feeding. Breastfeeding ensures a

cleaner climate.

95% of mothers have no physical or mental health problems that disable them from breastfeeding.

What is your choice?

This presentation was created voluntarily by Ms Christine Borg , founder of The Malta Breastfeeding Foundation, in 2008, on the occasion of the Maltese festival Earth Garden .

Christine now works as a counselor with the Malta Breastfeeding Project where she may be contacted.

christineldp@gmail.com

www.ldprojects.org