Let’s face it; most of us want to save the planet or at least not do anything too detrimental to it. But, at the end of the day, we also want convenience and ease-of-use. We’re busy people and we don’t want to add more things to our to-do list. So when it comes to the debate of cloth diapers verses disposables, many don’t even begin the research because they fear cloth means added work. Well, here’s the thing: it really doesn’t.
I have cloth diapered all three of my kids since birth. For me, it began for environmental and monetary reasons. The more I learned, the more passionate I became about cloth for the safety of the environment and my children. So, for those of you who are wondering if cloth is really worth it, we’ve compiled a few facts for you:
{Please note: this post is sponsored by Lanser’s The Natural Way.}
- The average cost to diaper a child for two years using disposables is $1,600. A cloth diaper stash can cost as little as $500 and can be used for more than one child.
- It is estimated to take 250-500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose.
- Disposable diapers are the third most abundant item in landfills.
- The manufacturing and use of disposable diapers amounts to 2.3 times more water wasted than cloth.
- 27.4 billion disposable diapers are consumed every year in the U.S.
- Solid waste (a.k.a. poop) is not meant to enter landfills where it can leach into the ground water, so even waste in disposable diapers is to be flushed down the toilet.
- Disposable diapers contain traces of Dioxin– a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals. It is banned in most countries, but not the U.S.
- Disposable diapers contain Tributyl-tin (TBT), a toxic pollutant that has been known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals.
- For boys, scrotal temperature is increased with disposable diapers and prolonged use could have adverse effects on sperm production later in life.
As you can see, cloth has benefits not only for the environment, but also for your child as you reduce their exposure to harmful and even cancer-causing chemicals. If you’re looking for cloth diapers, Lanser’s The Natural Way has some great diapers, reusable wipes, wet bags and more.
So tell us, do you cloth diaper or do you plan to? What helped you make the decision to do so? Leave a comment below and let us know!
{Some of the facts came thanks to Real Diaper Association. Please note: this post is sponsored by Lanser’s The Natural Way. Photo credit @iStock.com/truembie.}
