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Question about CDs and water usage

MoFreeMoFree member
in Cloth Diapering

I don't have children yet, hopefully our upcoming IVF cycle or a subsequent one will be successful.  We are buying a house and need to purchase a new washer and dryer and want to buy one that will be good for CDs.  We live in Arizona where water consumption is a big issue and the environmentally responsible thing to do is to be prudent about how much we use.

I've read that CDs use a large amount of water and that HE washers are not the way to go.  I am wondering if the energy consumption required for water and electricity in some way negates the environmental factor of using cloth.  Is there a way to use CDs and not overuse water is possible.

TTC since 3-08 IVF # 1 Dec 2011 BFP DD born at 31 weeks 6-24-12

FET #1 Dec 2013 BFN

FET # 2 Feb 2014 BFN

No more frosties

IVF #2. September 2014

PGD yielded 2 perfect 5d blasts

SET November 9, 2014
Nov 23, 2014. Another BFN

Not sure where to go from here.

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Re: Question about CDs and water usage

  • ananas19ananas19

    I don't live in a state with water issues (land of 10,000 lakes and all,) but I have not noticed a difference in our utility bills since we starting CDing 1.5 years ago.

    If you know you want to CD, I would read up on HE machines. I don't have one, but I know some mamas who have HE machines and wish they had an old-school one.

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  • chillyupnorthchillyupnorth member

    We have an HE machine and we haven't had issues yet, but DD is only 1.5 mos old. I have had to sun my diapers quite a bit to get stains out, but that doesn't bother me.

    Our water bill has gone up about $10/mo since we started CD (from $35 to $45). Still cheaper than disposables!

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  • norman25norman25 member
    imageananas19:

    I don't live in a state with water issues (land of 10,000 lakes and all,) but I have not noticed a difference in our utility bills since we starting CDing 1.5 years ago.

    If you know you want to CD, I would read up on HE machines. I don't have one, but I know some mamas who have HE machines and wish they had an old-school one.

    We're in Minnesota too!

    We have had a $2 increase/mnth in our water bill since having DS (so that includes his clothes and such. If you think about it, how much water does the production, transportation, and selling of disposables take up? I am willing to bet that it is way more over the time that you would diaper your child. That's why I think this argument against CD is silly, everything from foresting the tree to maintaining the stores selling diapers uses water in some form too. 

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  • Dr.LorettaDr.Loretta member

    CDs don't use a large amount of water.

    People have had success with HE washers. Usually the trick is either to manually set the water level, or throw in a couple of towels to add enough weight so you get the right amount of water.

    No, I can't see how the energy consumption for washing CDs comes even close to negating the environmental factor. The CD is made once, shipped once, and minimally packaged. Many people line-dry, thus reducing energy consumption even further.

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  • soontobemrsgroensoontobemrsgroen
    If you get an HE washer, get one that allows you to set for more water.  I know LG makes one that allows you to do so and I'm sure that other brands do too.  That way you can use more water for the diapers only, and the rest of your laundry can use the standard amount for your washer.  I wish I would have thought that far ahead when I went out and bought an HE FL washer without thinking about the need for extra water before I had DD.
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  • Jill070707Jill070707

    I've found a routine that works with the CDs and our HE washer.  I did notice our water bill went up $10/quarter since I had the baby.  I haven't noticed a difference in electricity. 

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  • GenRN45GenRN45
    we're charged a minimum water bill quarterly, and have not gone up above our minimum.
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