I am just wondering how much of an impact that formula feeding has on our environment compared to breastfeeding... ( please note I am not against your choice to formula feed ) But what difference would it make... since it takes cow's milk, feed for them, packaging, transportation, quite alot of things to make formula.... has anyone done a study on this or have info on it?

Cost of store value - usually the only cost that is considered

Breastfeeding --- Cost $600 a year, extra food for mother

Formula ---- Around $1,200 per year for formula; up to $2,500 a year for hypoallergenic formulas; plus cost of bottles, etc.; plus lost income when baby is ill

Breastfeeding families save $600 to $2,000 a year, and often much more in medical bills since baby stays healthier; and employed breastfeeding mothers miss less work.


Most forumaulas are NOT mixed with milk, cow's milk or any other, most are mixed with water as milks solids and proteins are already in the forumla. Consider formula's that are soy based as well... to mix that with milk would do no good.

That being said it would be a rather in depth research to consider the manufacturing, distribution and packaging of the formula.
Not to mention the manufacturing and distribution of the raw igrediants to get to the main manufactures.
I bet if this was truely looked into, one would discover that milk solids come from China, whey protein from Thailand and maltodextrin from the USA. The factor in the envirnomental impact of all of those factories that produce the raw materials, the fuel to transport it from the first factory to the final manufacture and then count those costs again.

Then the costs of transpotying to a distribution center to the final store and finally consider the amount of landfill space that is taken up by empty formula cans.


I did a quick search for "true cost of baby formula" and came up with a multitude of results, I'm sure there are some more in-depth studies that have looked at just this, but on a quick serach I did not discover.

Best of luck to you!