Try Alternatives to Disposable Diapers

For the past few decades, disposable diapers have become the diaper choice for just about every parent. But don’t ditch your grandma’s old cloth diapers yet! Disposable diapers are a huge contributor to landfills, producing almost 3.5 million tons of waste each year.

Cloth and flushable diapers are an eco-friendly option for your baby’s diaper needs. Although laundering cloth diapers can be expensive and produce an environmental impact comparable to that of disposable diapers, cloth is better for a baby’s bottom, allowing skin to breathe comfortably. Cloth diapers come in a variety of styles and materials to make your baby’s bum feel soft and clean. Another alternative is flushable diapers, which use biodegradable and often recycled materials to make a diaper that can be flushed down the toilet after use. These make clean up easy and reduce the amount of heavy-duty washing needed for cloth diapers. Green parenting expert Dr. Alan Greene recommends a “hybrid diaper,” or combination of the two: cloth diapers with flushable liners that require less washing and produce less waste.