The EcoChic

Now tell me – do you want that next to your babies bottom?  I didn’t think so!  TRY CLOTH DIAPERS!

Hi and Welcome to The Eco Chic blog – if you are a new reader I hope to convince you that cloth diapers REALLY are better for the environment.  Not only will I convince you that they are better for the environment; I will also remind you that they are better for your baby AND better for your wallet! 

If you are a regular reader I am working with the Real Diaper Association (RDA) and other cloth diapering bloggers to help reveal the TRUTH and LIES behind recent Pamper’s controversy.  You can help too – visit the RDA to find out more.

Are you pregnant?  Do you have a baby in diapers?  If so, you might have heard that Pamper’s disposable diapers are currently under investigation by the CPSC.  Why?  Pamper’s newest technology – Dry Max – has been accused of causing severe chemical burns and diaper rashes in numerous cases.  To make it worse – Pamper’s has *supposedly* pulled their Dry Max off the shelf – however; rumor has it that they have just repackaged those diapers into the old boxes.  If you take nothing else from this article PLEASE use caution when purchasing or using Pamper’s diapers - if your baby starts getting a diaper rash STOP using those diapers IMMEDIATELY! 

Pamper’s in their defense has issued a Myth’s vs Facts about their diapers (and disposable diapers in general).  I would like to tell you my TRUTH about disposable diapers vs cloth diapers – I hope that in the end you will consider using cloth diapers just like my family has.  It’s really just as simple to use cloth diapers as it is to use disposable diapers.

Pamper’s MYTH: Cloth diapers are better for my baby. 
MY FACT:  Why YES, Pamper’s they are better for my baby!  Of course you are trying to spread lies by telling us that this is not true!  The research that is available is skewed - look at who paid for the research to be conducted and WHEN it was actually conducted.  My personal story – my first son ALWAYS had a diaper rash when he was in disposables but I didn’t know that cloth diapers were this easy.  My daughter (and all babies) still gets minimal diaper rashes but I now know the keys to keeping diaper rash at bay.  You can ready my post on diaper rash HERE.  If my daughter develops a rash now (which is rare compared to my son) it is minimal and can be cured within a day or two.  The only reason that disposable diapers can keep your baby drier than cloth is because of the toxic chemicals that absorb the moisture – I don’t want my baby to be swaddled in the same toxic chemicals that were banned from tampons - just change your babies diaper and they will remain dry. 

Pamper’s MYTH:  Cloth diapers are better for the environment.
MY FACT:  **Did you know that I am an environmental scientist? No – I don’t research this topic for my job but I do know a LOT about the impact we all leave on the environment by our decisions.**  Pamper’s CLAIMS that the life-cycle assessment from the UK study doesn’t show any difference between disposable diapers and cloth diapers – I simply CANNOT understand how they can make this claim and feel like they are telling the truth.  Disposable diapers all end up in landfills (or thrown out on the side of the road, on the beach, in the ocean, or incinerated) where they will SIT for over 500 years.  No one knows for sure how long it takes for a disposable diaper takes to breakdown but I don’t want my great-great-grandchildren to have to clean up disposable diapers from my daughter!  My daughter is 16 months at the time of this post – we have about 35 cloth diapers that we have accumulated.  When my daughter is potty trained we will either donate or sell those cloth diapers to another family to use again and again.  If you start using cloth diapers with your first child you won’t need to purchase diapers for the rest of your children.  Yes – cloth diapers can wear out after time but most can be repaired with little effort.  And if you are like my mother – you can give your diapers another life by using them to clean around the house.  My mom used my cloth diapers to dust with.  I even ended up with a few of them to use on my baby dolls when I was a child.  Even if you add in the water and electricity used in laundering our cloth diapers you have to subtract 1) manufacturing costs of the 4,000-5,000 disposable diapers that a baby uses in the first 2 years of life, 2) the natural resources used in manufacturing those same 4,000-5.000 disposable diapers, 3) transportation from the manufacturer – to the warehouse – to the store - to your home (and I’m probably skipping a few trips between retailer warehouses) for those same 4,000-5,000 disposable diapers, 4) transportation from your house to the landfill for those same 4,000-5,000 disposable diapers, 5) the natural resources lost to dispose of those 4,000-5,000 disposable diapers (afterall since most end up in landfills - land is NOT a renewable resource), 6) you get the picture don’t you!  My 35 (+/-) diapers CANNOT create as much damage on the environment as 4,000-5,000 disposable diapers.  Unless you practice elimination communication (diaper free baby) diapering your baby is going to create some environmental impact – you decide for yourself which is worse – I choose cloth diapers so that our families environmental impact can be lessened and I honestly believe that as MY TRUTH!

Pamper’s MYTH: Disposable diapers  are harmful to the environment.
MY FACT:  Didn’t I just talk about this?  This is Pamper’s clever way to make disposable diapers look good.  While the disposable diapers that are around today (and in the future) will continue to use less natural resources by making the diapers thinner and thinner – or biodegradable – or whatever new technology they can come up with…can you honestly convince yourself that allowing 4,000-5,000 disposable diapers (per child) rot in the ground for 500+ years is NOT harmful to the environment?  Can you?  You have the ability to choose reusable and sustainable cloth diapers that are much better for the environment than disposables – make the right choice! 

Did you notice that Pamper’s didn’t even attempt to touch the cost analysis of cloth diapers vs disposable diapers?  In today’s tight economy cloth diapers are the clear winner in saving parents thousands of dollars in diapering their babies.  The exact cost varies depending on the type of cloth diaper you choose (prefold – pocket – all-in-one – etc) and the number of children you have (or the number of children each diaper is used on).  While my husband was hesitant to use cloth diapers in the early days he is more than happy to put extra money into our savings account each month that we would otherwise be spending on disposable diapers.  Where do you want to put your money each month – your savings account or into the deep pockets of the disposable diapering companies?

Do you want to learn more?
1) Read my old posts about cloth diapering to learn more about our journey.

2) Visit the Real Diaper Association.

3) Find other cloth diapering bloggers like myself.  Some of my favorites include Kim at Dirty Diaper Laundry and Emi at The Cloth Diaper Report. 

4) Visit the blogs of cloth diaper manufacturers and retailers like Kelly’s Closet – The Cloth Diaper Whisperer. 

5) Still have questions? Email, Tweet or Facebook me – I’ll be happy to help!  

This post is part of the Real Diaper Facts carnival hosted by Real Diaper Events, the official blog of the Real Diaper Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to cloth diaper education. Participants were asked to write about diaper lies and real diaper facts. See the list at the bottom of this post to read the rest of the carnival entries.

Giveaway Alert!  The Natural Baby Co is giving away one Gro Baby Bio Soaker Intro Package to a lucky reader.  To enter see details at the end of this post.    ECO-ngratulatins Holly S!

One of the newest hybrid cloth diapering systems out there is the Gro Baby System.  Check out there cute new animated short video HERE! 

The original Gro Baby shell consists of a water proof shell and an organic cotton soaker pad that snaps into the shell.  The idea is that you purchase several soaker pads and reuse the shell.  Unlike most pocket diapers the Gro Baby has a unique quick drying layer between the soaker and the shell (it’s sewn into the shell and looks like a large weave mesh).  The soakers attach to the shell with two snaps; one at the front and one at the back.  The original soakers are very thick organic cotton and are very absorbent.  They also come with a booster for nights and naps.  The other unique feature to the Gro Baby Shell is the closure.  It’s a very fine hook closure that works withthe very soft fabric loop (similar to Velcro only much softer and finer).  If you prefer snaps The Natural Baby Co will convert your Gro Baby shell for a small fee.

The features don’t stop there!  The Gro Baby shells will also work with their newest product…the Bio Soakers biodegradable, disposable soaker pads.  These disposable pads easily attach using two adhesive tabs located on the back of the pads.  Each pad is made up of three parts; 1) the lining, 2) the core, and 3) the waterproof outer.  The lining and waterproof outer layers are both compostable.  The core is biodegradeable.  The core is made of a wood pulp fiber and contains about 3 grams of superabsorbent polymers (SAP).  SAP is what makes traditional diapers (and other hygiene products) absorb and retain liquids.  Not only can the Bio Soakers be composted the core is flushable (similar to G Diapers)…just tear it open and flush the insides.  (*As with any flushable product, please use caution!)  Bio Soakers would make a practical travel option that would allow you to have the cuteness of your fluff with the convenience of a disposable. 

The traditional GroBaby cloth diapering system is very compareable to other organic diapers (selling at $24.95 each…same as the BG Organic).  The nice feature to the Gro Baby is that you can reuse the shell.  The soakerpads sell for $16.95 for a set of two.  With just one shell and three soakers you would spend $41.90 and end up with three diaper changes…three BG organics would cost you $74.85…not a bad savings!  The Bio Soakers cost $19.99 for a box of 50 pads…a mere 40 cents for each pad. 

What did I think?  I have a two part response to that question. 

1) Traditional Gro Baby System: I love it!  It’s very easy to use and I wish I had a few more soakers so I could take full advantage of the reusability of the shell.  I love the absorbency of the organic cotton…it just soaks up the pee!  I really like the closure system.  It’s a much softer hook closure than traditional Velcro.  The only negative comment I have about the traditional Gro Baby is the laundry tabs don’t seem to hold very well.  Each time I washed the shell the tabs were stuck on another diaper.  This is easily rectified if you purchase the snap conversion…but I prefer the hook closure for me.  Out of all the diapers I’ve tried the Gro Baby is at the top of my list.  Just look at how cute it is…even in the simple vanilla color! 

2) The Bio Soakers with Gro Baby Shell:  I used the Bio Soakers a few different ways.  When I used the bio soakers as they were intended to be used…with the Gro Baby shell…they worked wonderful.  Unfortunately I only have one shell at the moment.  It never fails that each time I put it on Lil’ B she decides to poo…and poo large…and spill out onto the shell.  This makes it difficult to reuse the shell…hence my frustration begins.  If I had at least 3-6 shells I think I would have enjoyed the bio soakers much more.  Instead…I attempted to use the bio soakers inside other diaper covers…while they still functioned the same way there was one problem that I encountered.  The adhesive that is used on the bio soakers is a very strong adhesive and it didn’t remove easily from my BG cover material.  You can read all about my travel experience here.  I’ve used the bio soakers a few random times around the house with the Gro Baby shell and I’ve never had any problems arise when I use them the right way! 

Here is a tip I received from Kim at The Natural Baby Co regarding the Gro Baby Bio Soakers. 
“We use a eco friendly adhesive which can get sticky when warmed from being by baby’s skin.  My biggest tip is to let your diaper sit for a minute BEFORE peeling off the soaker pad.”

Buy It!  Want to try the Gro Baby system yourself?  You can purchase your own system at The Natural Baby Co.  The introductory package (one shell and 50 bio soakers) sells for $34.95. 

Win It!  I know…you want to win your own Gro Baby system…who doesn’t want free fluff?  I’m giving away one complete introductory package (one shell and 50 bio soakers) to a lucky reader!  Contest is open to residents of the US and Canada.  ECO-ngratulations Holly S!

MANDATORY ENTRY!  Visit The Natural Baby Co and tell me what your favorite Gro Baby shell color is…don’t forget they have some brand new prints available!  Leave me a comment below with your answer.

Bonus Entries:  Leave an individual comment for each item completed with links (if applicable).
1.  Become a Fan of Gro Baby on Facebook.
2.  Become a Fan of The Eco Chic on Facebook.
3.  Follow Gro Baby on Twitter.
4.  Follow The Eco Chic on Twitter.
5.  Add my button to your blog or website!
6.  Subscribe to The Eco Chic on Feedburner…deliver me to your inbox!
7.  Subscribe to The Eco Chic in Google Reader (or other feed reader).
8.  Tweet about this giveaway…be sure to include @TheEcoChic and @GroBaby and a link back here! (Max 5 tweets per giveaway!)
9.  Blog about this giveaway.
10. Make any purchase from The Natural Baby Co (valid for purchases between now and the end of the contest only) and earn 5 extra entries to this giveaway!

LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS HERE TO BE ENTERED TO THIS CONTEST!

Contest ends at midnight (EST) on October 29th, 2009.

Yes, a Gro Baby Introductory Package was provided to me in exchange for this post…I’ve been writing this post for over 3 hrs now so I think that’s a good exchange for my time…don’t you?   

Now the tricky questions that I am trying to find answers to.  While I’ve began doing some research on the topics I can’t learn it all in one evening.  Biodegradable, compostable, and other environmental marketing terminology.  Are they just keen marketing skills or are they really environmentally friendly?  This is where I start to get a little lost in the sea of green!  So to help you out a little here are some definitions:

Biodegradable:  the material breakdown of chemicals by the environment.

Compostable:  according to Wiki it means the same as biodegradable.

Bio-Film (Fecula): a compostable material that is made from all natural corn starch.

SAP:  super absorbent polymers used in disposable diapers to absorb moisture.  Regular disposables contain 10-20 grams of SAP.  SAP was removed from tampon production in the 1980s due to the link between SAP and Toxic Shock Syndrom (TSS).  Most babies in the US are in disposable diapers all day, every day, for three years! 

EN13432 (EU):  European standards for biodegradability and compostability.

ASTM D 6400 (US):  An American standard for composting.  Refers to the use of aerobic composting facilities (similar to wastewater treatment processes) to kill pathogens in human waste. 

Aerobic Composting:  the breakdown of a material by heat-loving organisms at a very high temperature.  Can occur at an industrial composting facility or when using special composting toilets. 

Sources:
http://www.thenaturalbabyco.com/grobaby™-ic-11_16.html
http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/dissin_disposables_why_cloth_diapers_rule/
http://ilex-envirosciences.com/leaflets/EN13432.pdf
http://www.astm.org/Standards/D6400.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerobic_digestion#Active_.28aerobic.29 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superabsorbent_polymer
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/organic-parenting/green-eco-diapers-66031101

In honor of the Cloth Diaper Carnival Part Deux I thought I would share my wash routine.  As you probably know by now there is no exact science and no perfect way to wash your cloth diapers.  I would imagine that each of the participants in this carnival will have a slightly different routine. 

For me I try not to stress out too much about my routine.  I have a (few) system that works and I try not to mess it up.  My wash routine begins after each diaper change.  I still haven’t invested in a diaper sprayer so I rinse my diapers briefly in the sink (or toilet if really nasty) so that my diaper pail doesn’t stink up the bathroom.  I then wring them out and place them in my diaper pail.  My diaper pail is actually a plastic tub that sits next to the toilet.  I do this with each and every diaper until wash day.  (Except for when I’m really busy or tired and I just toss it in the pail without rinsing…but I try to rinse them within the day.)  Oh yeah, and don’t forget that if you are using Bum Genius diapers that you need to attach the Velcro to the laundry tabs at this stage.

After about two days I start running out of diapers so the wash cycle begins.  I run one cold water rinse cycle without any detergent to remove the pee and poop.  Next I add the detergent and start a hot/cold wash cycle.  I don’t have too many diapers so they never fill up the drum but I run the load as if it were a full load to allow for plenty of agitation. 

Detergent!  This is one of those tricky areas.  I have been using Arm & Hammer Essentials but I’ve tried a few other detergents that I really like better.  I just tried the Rockin’ Green soap that is formulated specifically for cloth diapers and I’ve tried EcoNuts.  Both worked about the same and I like them for different reasons.  The Rockin’ Green is made from a WAHM in her very own kitchen and it smells FABULOUS!  EcoNuts (full review coming soon) is a seed from a plant that acts as a surfactant.  I highly recommend trying both and judging for yourself.  They all removed most of the stains with no problems.  (Don’t forget to enter the Rockin’ Green giveaway!  See previous post!)

Stains!  That’s right…we all have them…poo stains!  I have the luxury of living in the sunny state of Florida where the sun shines almost every day!  The sun is the BEST way to beat stains and smells!  At the end of the wash cycle I like to take all the inserts and covers and place them outside on our hammock to dry in the sun naturally.  The result is CLEAN, WHITE, ODORLESS cloth diapers!

Lil’ B is almost 8 months old and has been breastfeeding since birth.  She’s only been eating solids for 2 months so I’m sure that I will face more problems along the way.  The most important part to remember is to keep looking for answers.  Someone out there has experienced your problem and someone out there has the answers!  You can always join the Cloth Diapers chat on Twitter, Monday nights at 8pm (EST).  Just be sure to use #clothdiapers to join in on the fun.

What about the environmental impact of washing cloth diapers?  One of the top argument against cloth diapers is the use of water and electricity in caring for cloth diapers.  Yes, you do use water and you do use electricity BUT that shouldn’t deter you from using cloth diapers.  I run 3 extra loads of laundry each week and I try not to dry them in the dryer.  I prefer to line dry my diapers because of the strength of the sun in bleaching them.  You also have to remember that the natural resources used to make disposable diapers is outrageous!  They cut down tons of trees, ship them thousands of miles, using tons of fossil fuels in transportation just to the manufacturers.  Then you have to add up the impact of manufacturing and of course distribution to the stores.  Then you have the impacts on the landfills that are filling up with thousands of disposable diapers EACH DAY!  Like I said, yes there are some environmental impacts of using cloth diapers but I honestly believe that my impact is much less than using disposables!  Search the internet and I’m sure you can find actual data and figures to support this.  Here are just a few that I found doing a quick search:  Cloth Diapers Exposed - The Facts & The Fiction and Environmental Reasons to Use Cloth Diapers. 

CHECK BACK TUESDAY MORNING FOR A LINK TO ALL OF THE OTHER CLOTH DIAPER CARNIVAL BLOGGERS!