Today's reusable cloth diapers come in many different styles. Most varieties have Velcro-style closures that eliminate the need for the safety pins of bygone days.
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Dear EarthTalk: My husband and I are expecting a child and we're concerned about the environmental impacts of disposable diapers. I remember the old cloth diapers with pins that my mom used. Are there any new developments in the cloth diapering field?
-- Stephanie, via e-mail
A growing number of green-minded parents are starting to recognize the health and ecological benefits of reusable cloth diapers over disposables. Most brands of disposables are made from petroleum-derived plastic and wood fiber—some 250,000 trees fall each year to feed America's disposable diaper addiction.
According to The Green Guide, 95 percent of U.S. families now use disposable diapers—to the tune of as many as 8,000 per child. As a result, 3.5 million tons of them clog landfills each year. Accompanying these diapers, of course, is untreated fecal matter and urine that can easily contaminate the groundwater surrounding landfills. Pathogens in this waste can be spread far and wide by insects and animals.
Furthermore, the process of bleaching disposable diapers to make sure they are as white as possible before they get to consumers leads to the generation of the chemical dioxin, which besides being potentially harmful to factory workers and the environment surrounding manufacturing facilities, can show up in trace amounts in the diapers themselves, potentially exposing babies' skin to a dangerous carcinogen.
Despite such drawbacks, the convenience factor still wins out for most of us. Old memories of hard-to-fasten stinky cloth diapers collecting in a pail are enough to drive anyone to abandon their best intentions when it comes to diaper-change time. But heightened eco-awareness in recent years has led to a profusion of reusable diaper choices, and enlightened consumers owe it to themselves to take another look.
Today reusable cloth diapers come in many different styles, but the common elements are an absorbent liner, ideally made out of organic cotton or hemp fleece, and a waterproof cover. In some cases these two elements can be separated and washed separately; in others they are combined into one washable unit. Most varieties come with Velcro-style closures that obviate the need for the safety pins of days gone by.
And diaper laundering services do still exist—see if there's one near you at www.diapernet.org/locate.htm —but parents interested in minimizing their environmental impact on the cheap will wash their reusables at home (without bleach) and dry them on the line. According to Mothering Magazine, some of the best brands are Under the Nile, FuzBaby, Oskri, LizsCloth, Cloud9Softies and PeacefulMoon.
For those who just can't give up the convenience of disposables, several brands offer a kinder, gentler alternative to Pampers and Huggies. Disposables from Nature Boy and Girl, Seventh Generation, Tushies and TenderCare get high marks for their use of absorbent, chlorine-free materials and, in some cases, biodegradability. And gDiapers offers reusable, washable cotton diaper covers over flushable liners.
Some local health food stores will carry these brands, or look online for e-commerce vendors such as Evo, Leslie's Boutique, Cotton Babies, Green Mountain Diapers and Nikki's Diapers, among many others.
CONTACTS: www.evo.com; www.lesliesboutique.com; www.cottonbabies.com; www.greenmountaindiapers.com; www.nikkisdiapers.com.
EarthTalk is produced by E/The Environmental Magazine. GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.
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7 Comments
Add CommentOne note about cloth diapers we have found: they are reusable even beyond one child, if they are treated properly. There are a number websites suggesting proper detergents to use (and which have less of an environmental impact) and the correct method for washing and drying which increases the longevity of the diapers. We purchased a few new ones, but most of ours have been used by at least 4 children before. I'm not sure if this is accounted for in the environmental impact of cloth diapers.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFor us, it has also been a tremendous cost savings. Less than $2 per diaper (purchasing about 12-15 at a time), plus a few diaper covers (~$10 each - these can be reused between changes without washing, usually), and after four weeks they've paid for themselves (without counting electric and water costs).
The story is biased. The author even has the gall to emphansize the word addiction. It would be more convincing if the word reliance were used in its place, because that is what it is.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhen writing an article, it is very important to try to remain objective. Use of such negative words only serve to incite rather than inform.
You can turn off readers' attention and lose focus on the issue.
There are benefits and costs to both. One reason cloth diapers lost to disposible is that it there are costs in washing and resusing: Water, electricity, contamination, and time.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThose issues may have finally been addressed. I am still open to the idea. I applaud any steps to move away from disposible anything. People tend to overlook the drawbacks when looking at this. There are always detriments to anything you do. Fortunately, my kids are out of diapers. We tried both during that time. Disposibles won out despite the high cost. Diapers are not cheap. We weighed all the factors in our discision.
There have been times that some "eco-friendly" proposal is lauded as a savior to the environment and man only to later find that it causes harm to the environment by other means.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOne example is the conversion of corn to alcohol for gasoline. In the attempt to reduce our dependence on oil to a more renewable resource such as corn-based alcohol, the contamination of water supplies by the production of corn and reduced gas-milage of cars result. These facts are often overlooked or disregarded.
I am not saying that renewable or better alternatives should not be considered. I just wish that all the facts be presented and debated when stating a case or presenting information to the public. It is the obligation to the presenter or author to do so.
G Diapers is an interesting middle ground between disposables and cloth. There is a washable cloth wrapper that holds a washable plastic liner and a flushable absorbant insert. When you change the diaper, you simply tear open the insert, drop it into your toilet, swish it around with a plastic stir stick, and flush. If there was any leaking onto the liner or the wrapper, you toss them into the laundry. But leaking is usually very minimal, and washing them is much easier and cleaner than washing a true cloth diaper. I think G Diapers was rated as one of the most, if not THE most eco-friendly diaper option. And they are actively testing and refining their products to make them better.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFor truly nasty diapers, they are still nasty -- no getting around it. But for the great majority of diaper changings, they work pretty darn well. They do cost a bit more than disposables, but like most eco-conscious choices, some folks are willing to spend a bit more to take care of the planet. And with these, there is minimal processing, no bleaching, etc.
Ok, tlinget, weigh the water and energy and time it takes to wash a diaper against the water and energy and time it takes to produce all the materials and processes to make a new one every time a baby poops.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNo comparison.
Do you have to go to a baby specialty store to find them? I looked at most of the retail stores here in OKC for some cloth ones for my grand-baby, and couldn't find a one of them that carried cloth ones.
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