I hear your outrage, but I think you need to rethink it. The fact is that the whole disposable vs. cloth diaper debate essentially ends in a draw. In the final analysis, neither choice is more virtuous than the other. Disposable diapers definitely do consume resources like wood pulp (about 250,000 trees worth) and require large amounts of petrochemical plastics to manufacture. They also create seven times more solid waste than cloth (about 3.4 million tons a year according to the EPA). But most of this waste ends up in lined landfills and not in the environment as you suggest. (Speaking for myself, I have never seen a single disposable diaper littering the countryside.) But cloth diapers come with their own very clear set of problems. They consume large amounts of water during laundering (the diaper changes for one baby require 50-70 gallons of water every three days) and require far more energy per diaper change than disposables—according to a 1993 study, cloth diapers laundered at a service use about 13% more energy while diapers laundered at home consume 27% more energy. This is largely the result of the need for hot water during the wash cycle (90% of the energy we consume doing laundry is used to heat the water our washing machines require). Such energy use is no small matter in an age of perilous global warming. There is also the issue of the use of chlorine bleach to sanitize cloth diapers and remove stains. Once rinsed down a drain, this chemical, which is extremely toxic in its own right, combines with organic material naturally present in ground and surface waters to create a class of carcinogenic materials called trihalomethanes, which include toxins like chloroform. Personally, where my own family is concerned, I am far more concerned about this type of pollution than I am about the occasional errant diaper by the roadside, gross though that may be.

What all this says is that disposable diapers simply aren’t the big evil cloth advocates make them out to be and cloth diapers aren’t as pure and wonderful as they seem on the surface. Both come with their own sets of problems and benefits.

When you add it all up, it’s a tie, and Jeffrey Hollender’s advice was, in fact, quite sound: people in areas where water supplies are a concern are doing the environment a favor by choosing disposables. People who live in areas where landfill space is at a premium may want to choose cloth. I really don’t think you can accuse him of being part of a disposable diaper conspiracy—his, after all, is the cleaning product company that regularly recommends that people make their own homemade cleaners if they have the time and inclination!

In any case, what we should most emphatically not do is demonize parents who choose one option over the other. Parents have enough on their minds without misplaced guilt about their diaper decisions, and indeed no less than the Union of Concerned Scientists advises parents not to worry about this issue. They’re quite right when they say that there are much bigger choices to be made that have a far greater impact on the environment.

While disposables may not be the option we ourselves would choose, that doesn’t make the choice a bad one. Indeed, whether a parent picks cloth or disposables, their decision will perform a set of services for the environment. It’s just that those services will be different in each case. That’s the reality and I would respectfully hope, for our children’s sake, that everyone involved in this debate would acknowledge it and shift their outrage and their energies to issues that actually deserve it.

Even though I am still not convinced it is a draw, I do think if parents choose disposables there are better solutions. Seventh Generation diapers do not break down any better than Huggies or Pampers, but there are some that do. Those are pricier than the regular brands, so cloth is still a better option for those looking to save money. I did enjoy reading your comment!
We all have our ideas and opinions, and I personally love cloth diapering so I would like to share that with other parents!

Thinkslinger –

two things, the study you are referring to used incorrect assumptions about home laundering. They used water temperatures that no one even can use at home. It stated that to be environmentally sound the water temp would need to be 140degrees or less. Well, most home water heaters will not go any higher than that, so that “requirement” is met. Also very VERY few use bleach on their diapers. In fact, most manufacturers do not recommend it as it can break down the materials in the diapers.

Most parents also use LESS detergent in washing cloth diapers, not more. The water usage in washing 2-3 loads of cloth diapers a week is roughly equal to flushing the toilet 4-5 times a day (about what a normal person uses). Manufacture of disposables also uses gallons of water. In addition, it is illegal to dispose of human waste, meaning even disposable users SHOULD be dumping and flushing poop so it can be properly treated as sewage. I certainly don’t know anyone who does that!

You simply cannot argue that there is an equal balance in environmental impact. All the studies I’ve seen that find that are using incorrect information or assumptions on actual cloth diaper usage.

Thinkslinger, I do not have the time today to go in to detail with all the reasons I disagree with your post. However, I do want to point out that it is very rare to find a cloth diapering mom who uses bleach on their diapers. You also left out a very significant downside of disposable diapers and that is all of the chemicals that are contained within them – think about how those chemicals press up against your childs skin for hours on end, day after day.

good points ladies. I meant to add that very few cd moms use bleach, I personally do not. And I only use 1.5 tablespoons of detergent for my washes. Regarding hot water heaters, most are set at 120 degrees as a maximum. I am nursing my son so please forgive my choppy sentences and lack of capitalization!

The best way to clean cloth diapers is to pre-rinse them off in the toilet using a Hand Bathroom Bidet Sprayer. So convenient and if you are trying to help the environment (and your pocket book) you can give it a double whammy by virtually eliminating toilet paper use at the same time as you benefit from using it on the diapers, by using it on yourself. I think Dr. Oz on Oprah said it best: “if you had pee or poop on your hand, you wouldn’t wipe it off with paper, would you? You’d wash it off” Available at http://www.bathroomsprayers.com they come in an inexpensive kit and can be installed without a plumber. And after using one of these you won’t know how you lasted all those years with wadded up handfuls of toilet paper. Now we’re talking green and helping the environment without any pain. One review: http://jonathanandandrea.blogspot.com/2009/04/spray-it-or-scrub-it.html

“This only validates the excuses moms who use disposables use. Instead of just saying, “I don’t have time to wash diapers.”

I am a new fan of your posts, even though I am not a user of cloth diapers, but I was slightly offended by this one. Unfortunately, I do not own a washer and dryer because I cannot afford them right now, so while I have fathomed the idea, it would be next to impossible for me to use cloth diapers as I only make the trip to do laundry once a week. I think it is unfair for you to label us “moms who use disposables” as excuse makers. I would actually “have time to wash diapers” if I had that luxury, and I don’t make any excuses for why I can’t. Unless of course, you see financial hardship as an excuse.

I use Seventh Generation diapers because they are a healthier alternative for my baby since they are chlorine free, dye free, not bleached or dyed and they fit better. They also don’t leak or irritate my little one’s skin. I get them discounted in bulk @ amazon.com. I am looking into Tushie’s, but as far as I can see they are just too expensive.