Trade-offs

I want to make the right decisions for my health, my family's health, and the environment.  I really do.  One such decision has been to use cloth diapers on our infant.  You can argue that the water and energy required to launder cloth diapers has a negative impact on the environment, but that evil is better to me than the landfill waste created by disposables.  I read somewhere that disposable diapers are the third-largest contributor to landfill waste, but that only 5% of the population uses them.  And it takes something like 500 years for one disposable diaper to biodegrade.  I feel guilty about throwing away an empty cracker box, much less a thousand diapers, so that's why I use cloth.

So, I got these really neat "pocket" diapers called bum genius.  They have a soft fleece inner layer that wicks moisture away from baby, a breathable waterproof outer layer, and a super-absorbent microfiber insert that goes in between the other two layers.  They fit like a disposable and fasten with velcro like a disposable.  I love them. They work great.  Lately, though, I realized that the outer layer is made of laminated polyester.  That requires some sort of nasty chemical process, I'm sure.  So, the diaper decision I've made I'll admit, is not as green as, say organic cotton pre-folds with wool soakers.  I have no excuses for my inorganic diapers - just apologies.

The point is, every decision involves trade-offs for our health, our wallets, and the environment.  Instead of making excuses for imperfect decisions, perhaps we should just apologize for our shortcomings and promise to do better next time.

Comments

[HeatherErin]

It's all baby steps. We use prefolds with wool soakers that I knit myself, but we also use PUL covers. Am I gradually moving towards wool? Sure. Does my budget allow huge wool purchases? I wish!

You're still doing great with the cloth, so pat yourself on the back. *After* you've washed your hands!