Tree Huggin' Tuesday: Cloth Diapers

We have been just loving the Tree Huggin' Tuesday Feature. I know I have been even more conscious about reducing waste since we started this feature along with the One Small Change Project. Today, Guest blogger Sarah Lin of Wool and Sticks will discuss the benefits of cloth diapering. I thought this would be a great topic after recently reading about a Boulder Colorado Hospital that switched to cloth diapers to reduce waste and reduce costs.

Our family used cloth diapers on our daughter and we just loved them. They are so cute, soft, and environmentally friendly. We also proudly offer Happy Heiny's at Hip Mountain Mama.

I recently read these staggering statistics in Sara Snow's book Fresh Living. She says that the first disposable diapers were introduced in 1961 and by 1989, 18 billion diapers were being soiled each year, costing American parents $300 million annually and accounting for nearly 3.5 million tons of garbage. Today 95% of diapers used are disposable which will take two to five hundred years to decompose in a landfill. It is clear that our disposable lifestyle is piling up unbelievable amounts of waste.

Now lets welcome Sarah Lin who loves knitting and is also a mother of a two year old girl. You can learn more about Sarah and her beautiful knitting at her blog, Wool and Sticks.

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Not Your Mama's Cloth Diapers...

Cloth diapers...those 2 words still bring to mind pins and white cloth squares that require a lot of folding, and let's not forget those plastic pants. The cloth-diapering world has come a long way, evolving into something almost unrecognizable to those who used cloth in the past. While the pins and prefolds are still an option, there are many other options out there for those who wish to cloth diaper. You may be asking yourself, why cloth diaper? In addition to being less costly throughout the diaper years, there is a significant environmental impact. The average child goes through 6,000-10,000 diapers from birth to potty learning and these diapers sit in landfills. A very basic cloth diaper set up can be as inexpensive as $100 for the entire diaper life of a child, and those diapers can be used again for multiple children.

Today’s cloth diapers come in so many styles, there is sure to be a fit for every family. You can find diapers with velcro or snaps, with a waterproof cover or without. You can cover diapers in fleece or wool, and if you are a knitter, there are some incredible knitting patterns for soakers (diaper covers) or longies (knit pants that act as a cover.) Diaper materials are catching up to eco-friendly times as well. You can find diapers made from cotton, bamboo and hemp.

Storing wet and soiled diapers is easy too. There are large wetbags with a waterproof inner liner that hang on a hook, you can use a tall garbage can, and those cloth diapering mamas who are especially eco-savvy wash and recycle large cat liter containers into diaper pails. Smaller wetbags are available for transporting soiled diapers on the go.

Many cloth diapering families also take the next step and switch from disposable to cloth wipes.

With the upswing in cloth diapering, many cities are seeing a return of diaper services. It is a great way to ease the transition and see if cloth diapering is for you.

With so many options for diapering out there, it can feel overwhelming. Many retailers offer sampler or trial packages to try out various diaper and cover options. This is a great way to try things to see what works for you before making an investment.

If cloth diapering is just not for you, there are still other option available besides the standard disposable. Many hybrid diapers exist, consisting of a cloth outer layer and flushable and biodegradable inner portion.

With so many options out there, I encourage you to take a look, there really is an option for every family.

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Thank you Sarah Lin for contributing to Tree huggin' Tuesday.

Be sure to check back tomorrow when we will have a very special interview with Author, TV Show Host, and Environmental Activist Sara Snow. Sara is author of the book Fresh Living, has two cable television shows, is a regular contributor to CNN.com, writes a column for Treehugger.com, and is an inspiration to so many striving for a Greener and Healthier Lifestyle. We are so excited that Sara has found time in her busy schedule to do an interview for Hip Mountain Mama. Don't miss it.

Tree Huggin' Tuesday: Cloth Diapers