The Ethical Diaper

Just because I am not one blessed with the pitter patter of little feet, or the crawling of those yet not able to walk erect, doesn't mean that I'm not familiar with a poopy diaper! Being the eldest of four children, I've definitely put in my time for diaper duty, and I'm quite pleased to say I haven't looked back! Those smelling presents left by the ones we care for are more than simply an offense to the nose (and the queasy of stomach) but those soiled diapers that aren't biodegradable are dumped into landfills and end up polluting our Earth long after the pull-ups have been used and then graduated on to real undies. What can the ethical consumer, who may also be a parent, do to keep from leaving Little Timmy's doo-doo's from becoming a great big oh-no?


It is a fact that for the majority of parents, the go to choice when it comes to pampering their little one's behind is disposable diapers. In the United States alone, that works out to almost 27.4 billion diapers each year! Yikes, that's a lot of chocolate waste! Because these diapers are limited to a single use, they build up rather quickly, and they usually aren't made from biodegradable products to begin with. They can last over hundreds of years, and in addition to generating plenty of used space in landfills they do pose a potential health hazard as well. It is feces after all!


So what is a green family to do to keep their child on the right path to keep our Earth clean? This particular conundrum has lead to a rise in the demand for cloth diapers and other eco-friendly products. The cloth diaper industry has seen a jump in sales of 25 to 50 percent, and the features of today's cloth diapers are much more advanced than what they were decades ago. Still, a new line of diapers from gDiapers has been hitting shelves and is a disposable diaper that is better for the environment. The only drawback to these diapers is that the baby waste needs to be flushed before the diaper is disposed of. But this is a draw for those who don't want to deal with the continued washing of soiled cloth diapers.


Whether you choose to swipe up a pair of green disposable diapers for your baby, or go the cloth diaper route, both are worlds better than the standard disposable diapers. Ridding the landfills of your immediate loved ones' little 'presents' is an excellent way to not only be a more ethical consumer yourself, but set the stage for your own burgeoning green baby! Children do learn best from example after all, so what better way to start your baby off on
the right foot (or four limbed crawl) than in a diaper that works to save the planet?!