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s/o CDs vs. Disposables - a question...

AlishaRichelleAlishaRichelle
in Eco-Friendly Family

This may be a VERY na?ve question to ask, but regarding the whole "CDs use more water to wash" issue... Doesn't most of the water cycle back through the system eventually?  I mean, we wash them, the water drains into sewage which, I thought in a lot of places, went through a treatment process where it becomes effluent water and is used to water golf courses & farms, etc.

It's not like we have "water landfills" where all the used water just sits and takes up space...

Am I way off on this??  I get that we have to be conscious of our water use (good grief, I live in a desert), but it does, to some extent, make it back into the cycle, right?

Sorry if this is a stupid pondering...

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Re: s/o CDs vs. Disposables - a question...

  • celiabwatsonceliabwatson
    You make a good point. There is a finite amount of water on the planet and it is more or less the same amount of water as before. However, it takes energy and resources to clean the water and there is waste product created from that cleaning process so it's not a completely waste free experience, it's just not the water that's wasted.
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  • PoonicoPoonico member

    This is most of my thinking too.  I don't waste it because clearly it takes resources to clean it, but it can be cleaned.

    I was watching a show the other day where they even treat sewage (toilet stuff) back to drinking quality.  Gross to think about, but it works.

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  • HappyHeartsHappyHearts
    I've also heard it argued that there's a fair amount of water and energy used in the making of a disposable. Sure, there's likely some water/energy used in making a CD and the fabric for it, etc. but that process only happens once per diaper. Not once per diaper change. In my mind, the washing is offset by the amount of water used to make a sposie, PLUS the landfill factor.
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  • AlishaRichelleAlishaRichelle
    Okay, thank you.  Just wanted to make sure I was thinking straight when I use that as an arguing point.
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  • Dobie_MamaDobie_Mama

    imageHappyHearts:
    I've also heard it argued that there's a fair amount of water and energy used in the making of a disposable. Sure, there's likely some water/energy used in making a CD and the fabric for it, etc. but that process only happens once per diaper. Not once per diaper change.

    This is my thinking, too.

    I've also seen comparisons where it says that washing CDs for a child is equivalent to X# of toilet flushes ... which makes sense.  If you're adding a member to your family, you're going to increase your resources used.

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  • pixy_stixpixy_stix member

    Yes, BUT...

    In arid areas like CA and AZ there is a lot of energy consumption that is put into pumping water to those areas.  In that case, water is a finite resource since if it is used up and not replenished by artificial means... there is no water.

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  • pixy_stixpixy_stix member

    Adding, in your case Alisha sposie use (in terms of water consumption) is better than cloth diapering.  Even when you factor in the life cycle of the cd (cotton and fabric manufacture), and tree/paper production.

    There are just some areas of the country where sposie use IS the greener choice.

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  • AlishaRichelleAlishaRichelle
    imagepixy_stix:

    Adding, in your case Alisha sposie use (in terms of water consumption) is better than cloth diapering.  Even when you factor in the life cycle of the cd (cotton and fabric manufacture), and tree/paper production.

    There are just some areas of the country where sposie use IS the greener choice.

    I'm going to pretend I didn't read this Stick out tongue

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  • pixy_stixpixy_stix member

    :oD  I haven't done the rest of the research on landfill waste, etc.  In that case I would bet cds take the edge.

    Where I live it's about even on cd vs. sposie in terms of pure resource consumption.

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  • Lotte134Lotte134
    imagepixy_stix:

    Yes, BUT...

    In arid areas like CA and AZ there is a lot of energy consumption that is put into pumping water to those areas.  In that case, water is a finite resource since if it is used up and not replenished by artificial means... there is no water.

    Does this also take into account that sposies need to be shipped to the area and the energy that transportation consumes?  Just curious.

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  • pixy_stixpixy_stix member
    imageLotte134:

    Does this also take into account that sposies need to be shipped to the area and the energy that transportation consumes?  Just curious.

    Some of the studies I've read did factor that in and sposies still won.  The transportation of water to arid climates takes a HUGE toll energy and other resource wise.  

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  • HappyHeartsHappyHearts
    Well boo . .  Crying
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