THE ENVIRONMENT
Cloth diapering is healthier for our babies and healthier for our environment. Did you know that it takes approximately 500 years for one diaper to break down? Did you know that each child produces approximately 6,000 diapers over a 2 year period? Many modern moms are going back to cloth diapering like their grandmothers did as they recognize it is more eco friendly, healthier, convenient and a great way to save money.
Cloth diapers do not contain the harmful chemicals often found in disposables have such as chlorine, fragrances, and traces of dioxins. Dioxins are on an EPA list of the most toxic chemicals linked with cancer.
With cloth diapers you never run out of diapers and the one size diapers will fit your baby till the entire time you are diapering. This helps improve your carbon footprint, the impact you have on the planet. As I mentioned, each disposable diaper takes 500 years to break down and disposables are the third most common consumer product found in landfills. Not to mention, the money you will save... so disposables on the average cost $0.37 per diaper and most babies need to be changed 7-10 times a day until they are two years of age. So on average the cost of disposables is 10 diapers x 30 days x 24 months x $0.37= $2,664.
You will need on the average 12 cloth diapers with the average cost of a box of 6 diapers approximately $119.80 and even cheaper if you buy gently used covers. So the initial investment would be 2 x $119.80= $239.60 for 12 new diapers covers which typically come with 2 inserts each. If you calculate the average cost of laundering diapers for two years including detergent, water and electricity it totals $300. So the total cost of cloth diapering is $539.60.
The initial investment may seem high but if you compare it to the total cost with disposables the long term savings definitely out weighs the initial investment: $2,664.00 - $539.60 = $2,124.40.
Cloth Diapers Are Not a Thing of the Past
Written by: Roseanne Ware