The EcoChic

Posts Tagged ‘RDA’

Can you really travel with cloth diapers?

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

The answer SHOULD be YES! As I began planning for my #BlogHer10 experience I had originally planned on bringing the entire family along with me. I researched NYC diaper services and had set up a batch of diapers to be delivered right to our hotel.

Over the past month our plans changed. We were still planning our family trip to Disney (before our annual passes expired) but then the family was going in many different directions.

We packed up last weekend and headed to Orlando – complete with our stash of cloth diapers. My first trip to Disney with the baby we packed disposables, hybrids, and cloth because I really didn’t know HOW to travel with cloth diapers. I found out quickly that it’s NOT much different than at home. This trip to Disney I only packed the fluff! The only time it was a little less than pleasant was the 3rd day (when my DD had held her bowl movements for 3 whole days) when she decided to poo while at the water park. Thankfully cloth holds in the solids BUT the water parks are NOT known for having great changing stations. In fact they down right SUCK! So on a small bench in the changing room I changed a gross, nasty, 3 day poop that had just been mushed in by a baby sitting in the pool! Anyways – as gross as it sounds it was actually quite painless – after I changed her we walked across the room to the toilet and dumped the evidence! FLUSH! Stuff the cover in the wetbag and then back in the locker – now back to playing.

After our Disney adventure it was time to leave the DD at Camp Grandma/Grandpa. I even left my mom the bag of dirty diapers – which she called to tell me were all clean again. I’m sure like last time she won’t be able to figure out which insert goes with which diaper but that’s not really too important. And like last time the snaps will sit in the bag unused while Grandma prefers the velcros! The point is that Grandma does cloth diapers and is just as proud as I am about it.

Really – traveling with cloth diapers isn’t much different than at home. But if you aren’t lucky enough to have a Grandma to do your diaper laundry check out these great tips for the Real Diaper Association’s (RDA) Travel Tip Sheet. The RDA is still fundraising for their $3500 in 35 Days campaign to keep their Executive Director. For more information on the RDA please visit them at www.realdiaperassociation.org. If you like their tip sheet or any of their other work please consider donating to the $3500 in 35 Days campaign so they can continue to advocate for cloth diapers on every baby – all the time! And if you join the RDA (as low as $25) you will receive a quarterly newsletter and a great button to show your support! I’ll be wearing my button this week while at #BlogHer10! If you see me don’t be afraid to “Ask me about cloth diapers!”

Tags: cloth diapers, diapers, Disney, RDA, Real Diaper Association, traveling
Posted in BlogHer, Cloth Diapers, Environment, Natural Parenting | View Comments

Help RDAs $3500 in 35 Days Campaign!

Monday, July 12th, 2010

I just renewed my annual membership AND donated an extra $15 (on behalf of The Eco Chic blog) to Real Diaper Association (RDA) – are you a member yet? Here is where your money will be going to if you join the RDA and help advocate to get more babies in cloth diapers in 2010-11!

From RDA:

Each donation adds more time that we can keep our Executive Director, who continues to help us spread the word about reusable cloth diapers.

We come here to you with a request. RDA continues to play a leading role in the cloth diaper movement, training and supporting grassroots advocates to lead local Real Diaper Circles, compiling and distributing research on the subject, working with the media and other businesses and organizations to increase awareness about cloth diapers, and providing direct reliable, unbiased support for consumers. We do all of this with the support of our member donors. If you haven’t contributed to our efforts before, please join us as a member today at www.realdiaperassociation.org/directory/signup.php – annual individual membership is still only $25. Your donation is tax-deductible, and membership ensures that you’ll be kept up-to-date with our work via our quarterly print newsletter.

Because we’ve had the good luck to employ an Executive Director over the past year, we’ve been able to accomplish a lot recently. Explore the archives of our blog at www.realdiaperevents.org for stories about some of most recent accomplishments, such as:

the launch of a cloth-diaper-friendly daycare directory and publication of a tip sheet on using cloth diapers in daycare ,
a blog carnival focused on Real Diaper Facts that highlighted some of the most useful research out there on the benefits of cloth diapers, and
the ongoing 100% reusable cloth diapers campaign to support people and choosing and using real diapers in any situation.

Additionally, there are 15 active Real Diaper Circles and nearly 100 volunteers in training to become Leaders across the U.S. and Canada.

We are convinced that we made the right decision in hiring our Executive Director, and have plans for how to accomplish more in the coming year. In order to do so, we need to continue to fund the Executive Director position and ensure that we have someone in place to push all our efforts forward.

This is the time for cloth diapers for a number of great reasons. You have been supportive in individual advocacy, spreading the message time and again to your friends and acquaintances. Join together with us now and take a larger role in the overall cloth diaper movement. Become a member of the Real Diaper Association today at www.realdiaperassociation.org/directory/signup.php .

If you can’t become a member, would you please consider giving just a little to help our efforts? We need to raise $3500 in 35 days before our 6th Anniversary on August 11, 2010! We’re confident we can do it. Please help, then spread the word to the other cloth diaperers you know. These contributions, like membership donations, are tax-deductible.

So who’s with me in celebrating 6 great years with RDA (I’ve only been a member for a year – but it’s been a great year for cloth diapers!)?

Tags: $3500 in 35 days, cloth diapers, fundraising, RDA
Posted in Blogging, Cloth Diapers, Environment, Natural Parenting | View Comments

I Support 100% Reusable Cloth Diapers for All Babies

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

As I continue my cloth diaper journey over this past year I have become associated with many wonderful companies, organizations and people who support the modern cloth diaper revolution. I’m still trying to decide how I can best serve the cause and bring cloth diapers into more homes. One way I have began advocating cloth diapers is through the Real Diaper Association (RDA). I am in the process of becoming an RDA Circle Leader…an advocate for cloth diapers in the community.

The RDA is a non-profit organization who works with parents all across the US to encourage the use of reusable cloth diapers 100% of the time! I like to say that I use cloth diapers 99.99% of the time…and I cringe every time I put Lil’ B in a hard, crunchy sposie.

My commitment to cloth diapers is primarily an environmental commitment. Research shows that cloth diapers are far better for the environment than disposables. Even though you will use slightly more water for washing…your babies environmental butt-print (hehe!) will be greatly reduced when using cloth diapers.

How can I help? By introducing cloth diapers to others in my own community (and online!). We’ve already worked to educate our babies caregivers, our family, and our friends to the world of cloth diapers. I have several friends of mine who have recently given birth or are expecting…and I continue to share my own experiences with them. Disposable diapers are readily available and accepted as the norm…cloth diapers are not. When I mention to my friends that we use cloth they think I’m some new aged, hippie chick! I’m just a normal working mom with a normal family. Yes, we (OK…I) am a little obsessed with eco-issues and my friends have learned to love me for it. Just like with recycling and CFLs…I believe that cloth diapers will one day be considered the norm as well.

And I will continue to share my own cloth diaper journey with others…one baby at a time! What about you? Is your baby in 100% reusable cloth diapers all the time? Do you want to learn more about cloth diaper or the RDA?