Responsible, eco friendly diaper practices

Whether you use disposable or reusable diapers there are steps you can take, or maybe already take, which can reduce the hazard diapers represent to landfills and water supplies. In this section, the debate between whether to use reusable or disposable diapers is not really discussed. We want to provide you with information and parenting tips to become more carbon neutral regardless of your diapering choice. 

What easy steps can you take to reduce the carbon impact of your baby’s disposable diapers?

1. Biodegradable Garbage Bags: Many parents place their baby’s soiled diapers into a small plastic garbage bag (plastic grocery bags are common) or place them into a “Diaper Genie” type-device which stores them in a long, tubular plastic bag. When your child’s diapers finally arrive at a landfill, a diaper that would normally take 200-500 years to decompose now has a liner surrounding it that will add an additional 200 years of decomposition time. If you are using this system for diaper disposal, we don’t blame you. Putting soiled diapers in individual bags significantly reduces the smell in the garbage cans and makes it cleaner to handle them until they get there. It is imperative that you use, as often as possible, biodegradable bags for this practice. They are similar in price, do a great job and make an instant improvement on your baby’s carbon footprint. Check out this site for product information.
   
   
2. Biodegradable Diapers: There are several “biodegradable” or “green” disposable diapers available, but don’t be too fooled by the name. These are made with many of the same materials as standard disposables and still take a long time to degrade in a landfill. They do, however, have portions of the diaper made from biodegradable materials and should, therefore, take less time to decompose. They generally contain leaks and absorb as efficiently as regular disposables and can be found in many retail stores or online. We show you great options for eco friendly diapers on this site. Your use of these, if not all then perhaps part of the time, will have a positive impact in the overall environmental picture. 


3. Flush as much as you can: Okay, this step is not so easy, but it can really go a long way to reducing your child’s environmental impact. Human wastes in landfills pose a serious threat to the cleanliness of future water supplies and can contribute to the spread of virus and disease. As often as you can, at least when it is convenient and you have the stomach for it, deposit as much of the “soil” from a soiled diaper as you can into the toilet. Do not try and flush any part of a disposable diaper! Just get as much poop as you can off the diaper and into the toilet. Flush, place the diaper into a biodegradable garbage bag, wash your hands and console yourself that you are making a positive difference and have less “enviro-guilt!”


4. Potty-train your child early:  This is another tip that is not very easy, as you may have already found out, and you probably don't need much encouragement here. However, it is important that parents get their children out of diapers as soon as possible. The quicker they stop using them, the fewer will be discarded into landfills (not to mention less hassles for parents and more money in their wallets!)

Using Reusable Diapers? How you can improve
your impact on our planet’s water resources:

1. When you can, if it is available in your community and if the price works for you, try a diaper laundering service. These businesses may have pickup and drop off services for your convenience, but most importantly, they will use less water, less electricity and (usually) use eco friendly detergents. Utilizing these services greatly reduces the carbon imprint from diapering a child, will decrease your home’s utility bills and is possibly the most carbon friendly option available to parents. So, why don’t mothers everywhere do this more? We believe it is due to convenience, price and practicality. 


2. If you are laundering your reusable diapers at home, use ecologically friendly detergents! Protection of our water resources should be a significant concern for parents who want to balance their baby's carbon footprint. Check out our listings of eco friendly products here


3. Line Drying: If you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate and have the space availability, line dry your reusable diapers as often as possible! Not only does this reduce your electricity bill, it prolongs the life of your diapers and other clothing and gives them a fresh, clean smell and feel. Stains also set stronger in high heat dryers, so letting the sun dry your cloth cleans them more effectively as well. Use the solar energy of the sun without installing panels!


4. Dispose of them properly! Even sturdy cotton or bamboo reusable diapers eventually have to hit the garbage can. Don’t throw them away dirty! Clean them up one last time before you toss them, or better yet use them as rags to clean other messes around the house.

WHICH TYPE OF DIAPER SHOULD YOU USE?