Strollerderby

I really appreciate lists like this because they demonstrate how easy it can be for each of us to be a little "greener". I think many of us feel overwhelmed at the global warming warnings we've heard and wonder how much impact we can make or just what we can do, but obviously, if we all do a little, it will add up to a lot.

As for the cloth diaper thing, let me say this as a mom of 2 kids who is currently using disposables but trying to transition to cloth diapers.

From what I've read, many of those studies that talk about the resources involved to care for cloth diapers, don't adequately include all the resources taken up with disposables. E.g. they may not account for the resources necessary to transport diapers to retail locations. And as for the logic about using up water, well, we all don't wear disposable clothes right?

The footprint we leave behind would be even smaller if there is a diaper service that can do the work for you since they can run all the diapers together, but obviously, they are not available in all areas. The more demand for this increases, the more services will be available to support this.

And there are SO many options in cloth diapers these days. You can find them in organic cotton and bamboo and use wool covers. Wool is very absorbant and has natural anti-bacterial qualities. (I found wonderful wool nursing pads that only need to dry out on a heat source between uses - cuts down on all those disposable pads, which was what I needed before them.)

And there are biodegradable things to wash diapers in. E.g. Allens Naturally, and it actually takes a lot less of it to clean a load than conventional detergent so although it's a little pricier up front, it does a lot of loads. (And let's not forget, the more in demand some of these items will be, the more costs will go down over time.)

We've been incorporating many suggestions from the list. As I stated, a list makes it easier. If you pick one item and incorporate it into your life, then it becomes habit. Then pick something else.

I have done cloth diapers since we came home from the hospital, and there is no comparison to disposables.  Cloth is just as easy (if you have a washer and dryer at least), far cheaper, very safe (no chemicals), and is the most environmentally sound option unless you do Elimination Communication.  

Proctor & Gamble funded the study about using too much water - pretty sure they have a vested interest in people using cloth.  And chemicals?  To sanitze diapers?  Nope.  Just regular detergent.  And you use less of it, too, as detergent buildup can cause issues with cloth - so a Tbsp or two of detergent will get your whole load of diapers clean.

The previous commenter had great things to say, I won't echo them since I'm half asleep after a long night.  

But every time I hear someone say that we should use disposables because cloth uses too much water, I wonder why they don't wear disposable clothing.

re: the list : It's nice to know that I live a very green existence day to day. The list wa nice because it gave me a few more ideas.

re: cloth diapering.  I am pregnant with my first child and the father and I couldn't be more excited about using cloth diapers.  or both our baby and our environment.  It's funny though, eveyone you tell you are going cloth just shakes their head and then tells you that'll change.  Not even a "good luck".

*shrug* People are coming around though, and not just cloth diapring which is nice to see.  

A company called gdiapers makes a flushable disposable. You buy cloth covers, plastic liners, and flushabe inserts. They are a good third choice. Their website has tons of good info and their customer service reps (available by an 800 number) are friendly and helpful.

That said, we are not currently using them. My son is on the edge of the size limit for the small size, and we were having some frustrating leak issues. We will try them again when he's a little bigger and more securely into the next size up.

Another note: they're not cheap. (The website has shopping info.) They're not prohibitively expensive, but if you need to watch expenses, these might not be for you.

My advice: check it out if you're really bothered by regular disposables and cloth won't work for you. It's worth considering.

You really have to be careful of so-called "flushable" products. If you have a septic tank, it's a no-go. If you are on a sewer system, you'd better make sure you don't have small pipes. Plumbers are expensive. Just be aware of your limitations in the plumbing department before you try them.

We use gDiapers, and the "insert" which is flushable also breaks apart in the water. So, what you do is drop it in there, use the swizzle stick they give you to break it apart. Once you do that, it shouldn't present a problem for most septic tanks or small pipes.

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