TirithRR wrote:
As far the cloth diapers being better than disposable:
ABC News, May 26th 2005 wrote:
A new study released in England by a quasi-government environmental organization may dampen the debate even further. After a three-year, 200,000-pound (about $360,000) study, the London-based Environmental Agency concluded that disposable diapers have the same environmental impact as reusable diapers when the effect of laundering cloth diapers is taken into account.
Back in 2001 when I was in Advanced Chem, my professor asked that question, and everyone chose Reusable diapers as being better for the environment, but the she came out with the whole "But washing the reusables costs energy and uses detergents, etc."
Diaper service diapers use up a huge amount of energy and water, true, because they're washed something like 4 or 5 times in industrial laundry machinery, with bleach and non-biodegradable detergents. The diapers we use get a pre-rinse and a single wash cycle, with non-toxic biodegradable detergent and baking soda. So yeah I'm pretty confident that my environmental impact is significantly less than if we used disposables. Except that I don't actually care that much if the environmental impact is a win, lose or draw.
My reasons for cloth diapering are as follows:
First, they cost a lot less. We've spent about $400 on diapering products in the 16 months since my son was born (and subsequent kids get diapered for FREE!), compared to what would be thousands for disposables. We've added two loads of laundry a week to our monthly water and power bill, but ultimately, we've saved huge amounts of money.
Second, they are more comfortable. If my son had inherited my husband's skin, I could no doubt diaper him in sandpaper and steel wool and he'd never know the difference, but instead he got my skin. Before I ever got pregnant, I made the switch to the Glad Rags because each month disposable feminine hygiene products left me chafed and raw in places you simply don't want to be chafed and raw. So I asked myself how I would like to feel that way for two and a half to three years, non-stop. It was pretty much a no-brainer from there.
The environmental stuff is an added bonus. I would love to say I'm a big enough eco-freak that it's my primary concern, but it isn't.
Edited, Oct 6th 2008 5:03pm by Ambrya