Info. CD as environmentally friendly....

monkeyqueen

I'm just looking for some articles on CD versus disposables.    One that I saw in a parenting magazine of sorts pretty much had them on par in terms of environmentally friendly.    I'd like to look at some different articles (maybe more reliable....).

Anyone have any links that they know are good?   I'll probably google, but if anyone has anything handy - that would be great!!

Thanks!!

 

GBCK

the funding on some of the studies is suspect (when P&G are paying for it, it's not a shock which side they come out on... :-P) and sometimes it's hard to compare apples to apples (including the manufactuing eco-costs of the diapers, both disposable and cloth; comparing Diaper services vs. homewash vs. disposable)

 THIS IMO, is a pretty unbiased account of some of them:

https://www.slate.com/id/2187278/

Although the author doesn't come out real firmly 'pro cloth'

monkeyqueen

Thanks!   It's such a hard thing to really report on because of all of the variables with using cloth (I imagine using a HE washing machine would even make a difference).....

I also have a hard time believing that disposables could be an environmentally friendly as cloth.  I'm not 'against' disposables - I just can't see them being equal in that respect......

tokenhoser

Part of it is what is scarce where you are: landfill space or water. Honestly, I think we've got plenty of both here, but the cost/benefit analysis can vary by location a bit.

I've also heard that in terms of landfill space, cardboard and food waste are the BIG problems, and diapers are only a small piece of the garbage. That doesn't hold much weight with me because we recycle our cardboard/paper religiously and compost our food waste.

Honestly, the cost (like, personal cost) was the big winner for me. Even if it was environmentally neutral (which I just can't quite buy), the cost savings are pretty easy to demonstrate.

monkeyqueen

Excellent points.    Can't beat the cost!

On an unrelated note:  your 'bump' name makes me giggle.

flyer23

GBCK:

 

 THIS IMO, is a pretty unbiased account of some of them:

https://www.slate.com/id/2187278/

Although the author doesn't come out real firmly 'pro cloth'

LOL, the author basically says that cloth diapers are definitely greener but they take too much time... having never actually cloth diapered before Maybe if he actually tried them, he'd feel differently!

To answer the original question, most people who say that CDs and disposables are equally environmentally (un)friendly are citing the 2005 UK Environment Agency study that came to that conclusion. I wrote a refute to that argument in this blog post:

https://worklifeunbalanced.blogspot.com/2009/07/cloth-diapers-and-working-mom.html

In short, in addition to not taking into account HE washers, etc., the study makes some rather crazy assumptions about how cloth diaper users wash their diapers... such as assuming that 10% of all cloth diaperers iron their diapers. (Huh?) So I definitely think that the environmental impact of cloth is assumed to be much higher than it actually is.

monkeyqueen

flyer23:

GBCK:

 

 THIS IMO, is a pretty unbiased account of some of them:

https://www.slate.com/id/2187278/

Although the author doesn't come out real firmly 'pro cloth'

LOL, the author basically says that cloth diapers are definitely greener but they take too much time... having never actually cloth diapered before Maybe if he actually tried them, he'd feel differently!

To answer the original question, most people who say that CDs and disposables are equally environmentally (un)friendly are citing the 2005 UK Environment Agency study that came to that conclusion. I wrote a refute to that argument in this blog post:

https://worklifeunbalanced.blogspot.com/2009/07/cloth-diapers-and-working-mom.html

In short, in addition to not taking into account HE washers, etc., the study makes some rather crazy assumptions about how cloth diaper users wash their diapers... such as assuming that 10% of all cloth diaperers iron their diapers. (Huh?) So I definitely think that the environmental impact of cloth is assumed to be much higher than it actually is.

Thanks!   Iron cloth diapers?   That's.....well....interesting. lol.