Remind me why I use cloth diapers!! :P

In article ,
"A&G&K&H" wrote:

For the record, I've used both types of nappy and am not kidding myself that
I'm saving much more than a few $$ when I use cloth.

Really? I worked it out a few years ago and here are my figures:

Our water consumption has risen about 80 litres a day @ 93.38c/kilolitre = 7c
per day. Our energy consumption has risen 8 kilowatt-hours a day @
9.38c/kilowatt-hour = 75c per day. Obviously these figures are on the high
side as not all of the extra water and electricity goes towards washing DS's
nappies. Let's make it 80c per day. The nappies cost $2.67 each, or a
fraction of a cent a day for the lifetime of the nappy. Hmm, just realised I
didn't factor in the cost of the covers, but most of mine were hand-me-downs
anyway. Let's leave it at 80c a day to use cloth.

32 top-quality disposables here cost $18 discounted (full price would be $22).
That's 57c for EVERY nappy. You don't change them as frequently as cloth
nappies, so let's say an average of 6 nappies/day. That's $3.42 per day.

Thus, I would save $956.30 a year by using cloth only. As I use probably 1.5
disposables a day, I save about $644.22 a year -- money to spend on other
things. However, I am happiest that fewer nappies are going to landfill. I
am not sure you can cost that.

I have omitted the cost of detergent, and haven't covered the wipes (we use
pieces of Chux at home and commercial wipes when out) either, nor the squares
of toilet paper and plastic knives I have used to scrape poo off. They would
account for less than a cent a day, I think. And I have assumed a zero cost
for my time spent washing and using nappies.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.

A&G&K&H wrote:


For the record, I've used both types of nappy and am not kidding myself that
I'm saving much more than a few $$ when I use cloth.

Hmmm...we've used both over time, and I have to say that it
was a lot less expensive for us to use cloth (even accounting for
the cost of laundering, which we did ourselves). I agree with you
on the environmental aspects, but just observing that for us, cloth
was a lot less expensive (not that we're using cloth now ;-)

Best wishes,
Ericka

wait 'til you have an explosive poo! I have to confess with a toddler I am
less than thrilled with using cloth nappies, but with a baby I wouldn't do
anything else, disposable never fit Nathanael so we had frequent leaks and
he seemed to get a rash in disposables anyway, Ada always seems to end up
with a bit rubbed sore from the elastic round the edges when she wears a
disposable. No one seems to have mentioned the chemicals in disposables and
boys genitals yet...

"V." wrote in message
...

"emilymr" emily@xxxxxx wrote in message
lkaboutparenting.com...
We've had almost a month of traveling so we've been using disposables,
and
now I've gotten spoiled. Already today, Micah's soaked through a diaper
+
wrap with ONE pee, and this is after just upgrading to super size
diapers.
I double diapered all day yesterday, which means I'll have to get twice
the number of diapers at twice the cost, *and* I'll run out of room in
*both* diaper pails before my next drop off. Diaper service isn't cheap
out here; I'm certainly not saving $$ over disposables, and it's not
possible to wash them myself since we've got communal laundries...

I love the earth I love the earth I love the earth

Em
mama to Micah, 11/14/04


Well, I have to say that when I started getting ready for this baby, I
thought I'd do cloth diapers at home (have to do disposable at daycare).
But, cloth diapers are not without environmental impact. Disposable
diapers
add to solid waste, cloth diapers use water, chemicals (detergents, etc),
and energy to heat the water and dry the diapers. Many environmentalists
consider cloth and disposable diapers to have roughly equal environmental
impact, just in different ways. (DH is an environmental engineer and
talked
to coworkers, so I don't have a reference for that one)
Then, I looked into cost of cloth diapers and services and realized I
wouldn't necessarily save money unless I had lots of time to spend on
diaper
washing, etc myself, which I don't.
Finally, I concluded that if the environmental impacts were roughly equal
(although I do think a case can still be made that cloth diapers are
marginally better for the environment), cost was about the same, and
disposables had the advantage of convenience and conformity, I would be
going with disposables. Now, if they come up with a truly biodegradable
diaper made from recycled materials, I'll have no guilt!

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...ng/DK5911.html
http://www.earthybirthymama.com/arti...rarticle3.html

Amy




I wonder why people think they have to spend a lot of time on cloth diapers
if they have a washer and dryer available in their home. It's not true in my
case.

Loading the washer for the pre-wash rinse cycle takes about 20 seconds.
Later, adding detergent and resetting the washer to wash and rinse again
takes about 20 seconds. Then when it's done, I set it again to rinse. It
takes about 5 seconds. Loading the dryer and later taking out the dry load
takes a minute or two. Between these tasks, I do other things or surf on the
computer.

I don't bother with folding; I just dump it all in the basket and put it
back into the bedroom. It's a lot easier and faster than sorting and folding
or hanging many people clothes individually.

When DD was a young baby with several bm's a day due to bf, I used to do one
load everyday. Later, one load 3 or 4 times a week.

Marie
DD-16 mo

It's not the inconvenience (the laundry room is right around the corner
from our apt, so it's actually *less* inconvenient than toting stuff to a
basement machine); it's that my neighbors wouldn't appreciate their
laundry being used for Micah's poopy diapers!! I realize it's
perfectly sanitary and I guess I could do it anyway, but it seems a little
too outside apartment-living etiquette.

Em
mama to Micah, 11/14/04

Chookie wrote:

32 top-quality disposables here cost $18 discounted (full price would be $22).
That's 57c for EVERY nappy. You don't change them as frequently as cloth
nappies, so let's say an average of 6 nappies/day.

The Environment Agency assumed that trashie users changed only four
nappies per 24 hour period. (The environmental and health effects of
that went unexamined!)

Having read the full text of the report (instead of uncritically
accepting the smarmy mainstream-media greenwashing), I think the only
reasonable conclusion that can be drawn is that cloth nappies, used in
the most ignorant, wasteful way imaginable - still don't manage to
exceed the environmental impact of disposables.

Compare the EA's assumptions:
~~~
Indian cotton nappies, PVC covers
Buying 47 nappies and yet only washing 12 in each load
Disposable liners with faeces dumped into regular municipal waste stream
(instead of sewage where it belongs)
Older washing machines with poor water and energy efficiency
Soaking in bleach based "sanitisers"
Washing with 100g detergent per load, fabric softener
Water 60-90 deg C
Significant numbers of people tumble drying and ironing their nappies.
~~~

Contrast with someone who is actually making a modicum of effort:

organic hemp or cotton nappies, locally produced wool covers
Owning 2-3 dozen nappies, washing at least 2 dozen at once
Faeces going into the appropriate waste stream
Newer washing machine, high water and energy efficiency
Dry-pailing, wash cycle with half the usually recommended amount of
detergent in warm or cool water, no additives or fabric softeners (some
use a little vinegar)
Hang to dry in sun
~~~

Oddly enough, no research with "industry stakeholders" present has
looked at the second pattern of nappy usage.

Lara

Lara writes:

Contrast with someone who is actually making a modicum of effort:
[...]
washing at least 2 dozen at once

Hmm, while I agree with your general point, I think you're exaggerating.
Washing ("at least"!) 2 dozen nappies at once is going *way* beyond "making
a modicum of effort". That'd be washing only every 4 days for my toddler.
No way could I live with a pooey nappy sitting in a dry pail for 4 days.
(Yes, we do put poo down the toilet, but no, not all toddlers have poo that
just drops off the nappy!)

Sidheag
DS Colin Oct 27 2003

Replying to myself to avoid doing each individually.

I was surprised at the number of folks who said cloth diaper washing doesn't
really take that much time! I haven't had a baby yet, so haven't tried. I
suppose it makes sense that it doesn't take that much actual participation
with appliances to do most of the work. I was just thinking of the fact
that laundry in my house tends to only get done on the weekends because it
takes 2.5 hrs start to finish to run a load through a wash and dry cycle,
and by the time we get home from work we just don't feel like staying
downstairs waiting for the load to finish. I have a feeling washing diapers
only once a week wouldn't work out well! Might be something I could
consider during maternity leave though.
All the daycares we interviewed require disposable diapers, and in fact I
think that's a state requirement for certain levels of licensure, although
it may just be a convention they all stick to.
I'm also jealous of those of you who have a recycling program!
Fact is, I decided that the environmental effects were not so significantly
different that I should ignore all other considerations. In the pros/cons
balance sheet, disposables came out ahead for me. It's not that I don't
want to make a "modicum of effort", as I believe one poster replied, it's
that I don't feel the benefits to the environment of cloth are so
significant that I need to overlook all the other considerations.
If cloth works for you, great! That's what it's all about.

Amy---- going on vacation tomorrow!!

"I was just thinking of the fact that laundry in my house tends to only get
done on the weekends because it takes 2.5 hrs start to finish to run a
load through a wash and dry cycle..."

I had to laugh at this one -- we used to do the laundry every 1 1/2 to 2
weeks, until the little laundry-making-machine was born. Now I do laundry
3-4 times a week!!

Em
mama to Micah, 11/14/04

V. wrote:

Replying to myself to avoid doing each individually.

I was surprised at the number of folks who said cloth diaper washing doesn't
really take that much time! I haven't had a baby yet, so haven't tried. I
suppose it makes sense that it doesn't take that much actual participation
with appliances to do most of the work. I was just thinking of the fact
that laundry in my house tends to only get done on the weekends because it
takes 2.5 hrs start to finish to run a load through a wash and dry cycle,
and by the time we get home from work we just don't feel like staying
downstairs waiting for the load to finish. I have a feeling washing diapers
only once a week wouldn't work out well! Might be something I could
consider during maternity leave though.

Wow--you may be in for a bit of a rude awakening when it
comes to laundry once the baby arrives ;-) No way could we make
it a week without doing laundry with a newborn. It's amazing
what a baby can do to the laundry situation, and I'm pretty
sure the relationship is exponential with the number of children ;-)

Best wishes,
Ericka