September 6, 2009

Paper vs. Cloth Diapers

I’ve been thinking about the subject of diapering for a while now. I’ve used both paper and cloth diapers so I know the pros and cons of both. What is the most ecological choice? People have done studies weighing the cost of diapering on the environment. Do cloth or paper diapers do more damage? While some people argue that cloth diapering wastes water and electricity so it’s better to do paper, I disagree.

Paper diapers are big contributors to landfill waste and take tons of time to break down. I recently heard that the manufacture of paper diapers also uses a large amount of water though I have not taken the time to verify that info. If anyone knows more about that, I'd love to see the research. Most importantly, non-natural paper diapers are a chemical filled product. Is that what we should be putting on our babies’ bums?

My personal opinion is that cloth diapering is a much better choice for the environment, particularly if you use a soap that breaks down easily in the water. It’s also a better choice for your baby’s bum, if they are prone to diaper rashes.

Of course, if you want to be really ecological, you can let your baby go diaper free. See my blog on the subject.

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