Breastmilk is the most ecologically sound food available to humans. It is produced and delivered to the consumer without any pollution. It is a natural resource of enormous value which is usually overlooked. Its use has only positive effects on the environment. However, breastmilk is threatened by social attitudes towards breastfeeding and, more significantly, by the promotional tactics of baby milk companies.
Most people know that breastfeeding is best for babies.
Fewer people realise that it is also best for mother's health. On the other hand, bottle feeding causes the deaths of one and a half million babies every year and ill health in countless others. It also pollutes our air, water and land, wastes resources, creates disposal problems and increases population levels. Packaging of baby milks wastes resources such as tin, paper and plastic. If every baby in the USA is bottle-fed, almost 86.000 tonnes of tin plate are used each year in the required 550 million discarded tins.