What with nappies, bottles, nursery, school, homework and playtime, is it possible do the busy and exhausting job of a parent while also thinking of the environment? Hannah Gray spoke to three "green mums" to find out.

Read our Tips on being a green mum

Nicola and Scarlet Reed

"My husband and I think that we should look after the place that's looking after us. I want my daughter to have somewhere nice to live and grow up in, I don't want her to be in some hell hole with no countryside and no air to breathe."

That is the philosophy of Nicola Reed, a part-time remedial and sports massage therapist, and mum to Scarlet (2).

Nicola (40) and husband Kieran (40), who live near the city centre, are trying their best to be good, green parents.

They used washable nappies on Scarlet, as they believe that putting disposable ones in landfill is not good for the environment.

"We don't want this world to be a massive rubbish tip. and that how it's going to be, I think," Nicola said.

The family also recycle as much as possible, and try to only buy things which come in recyclable packaging.

Scarlet's clothes are hand-me-downs or from charity shops and her toys are second hand, for example from Freecycle or eBay.

"There's so much good stuff out there that's had no use," Nicola said.

Some parents may not like the idea of buying second-hand toys for their children, but Nicola insists that you can make them nearly as good as new. We met just before Scarlet's birthday and even her present wasn't brand new.

"You can clean them up and spruce them up," Nicola said.

"For Scarlet's second birthday she's getting a second-hand sit-on rocket.

"It's a bit battered, but she's not going to care.

"I'm trying to bring her up to understand about the world and what we're doing to it, and that it is a waste to throw things away. If you don't need to buy something new, why should you?"

Nicola gets an organic vegetable box delivered each week, and cooks from scratch every day.

She tries to buy as much organic food as possible, although she admits this isn't always easy.

"It's getting harder and harder because everything is getting so expensive," she said.

She tries to buy eco-friendly cleaners and liquids for around the house, and also makes her own bread.

"It's just better for you, you know what's in it. You're not getting any rubbish," she said.

Both parents are vegetarian and Scarlet is also being brought up on a meat-free diet, but she will have a choice when she is older.

Nicola watches her daughter's diet carefully and gives her hemp oil to replace some of the nutrients she would get from meat or fish.

Nicola believes all this is paying off.

"She's healthy, she's rarely ill, she's a nice size, she hasn't got an ounce of fat on her. She's healthy and happy and she loves her food," she said.