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Editor’s note: This month, GNMParents writer Tiffany Washko explores diapering options for green parents. We swap original content with GNMParents on the first Monday of every month, so make sure to head over there to check out Jennifer’s contribution to them.

For many green moms and dads the decision about how to diaper their baby does not come so easy. We all know disposable diapers are bad with a capital “B,” but the other options just seem so archaic and inconvenient.

But it’s not as bad as you may think. There are some pretty appealing diapering alternatives nowadays. If you want to lighten your environmental footprint by avoiding those landfill-filling, disposable diapers, then two options you might consider are cloth diapers or gDiapers.

Cloth Diapers

When many parents think of cloth diapers they still think of those thick, towel like diapers (the ones we now use as burp rags), diaper pins, and the plastic vinyl pants that go on top. Well, the cloth diapers you find today are far cry from that these days.

Bum Genius cloth diapers by Cotton Babies are designed to make cloth diapering easy for every-day people — like your babysitter, grandparents and even dad. Using a Bum Genius cloth diaper is just like using a disposable, but you don’t throw it away! Just wash it and they’re ready to go again. They come in a variety of beautiful colors like Blossom Pink and Grasshopper Green.

They are pocket diapers, which allows you to use the type of insert that meets your absorbency needs (although the included microfiber insert should be sufficient). Bum Genius also offers an all-in-one diaper, which is a one-piece diaper that most closely resembles a disposable. Plus, Bum Genius diapers have neat stretchy tabs that make diapering even the most wiggly babies a breeze.

The best thing about these diapers by far is that they are one-size-fits-most. They will fit babies between 6 and 35 pounds, so there’s no need to buy a bunch of diapers in different sizes. Ingenious! If you want to go a step further you can try a cloth diaper made from sustainable materials, such as organic cotton or even bamboo…

Bamboo Diapers

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on this planet. While some think of it as a tree, it is actually grass and it grows one third faster than the fastest growing tree; it reaches a harvestable size in three to five years. Some species of bamoboo grow as much as four feet a day. It requires no pesticides, is harvested with no impact to the environment, and is capable of complete regeneration without the need to replant.

All of which, of course, is great news for those of us who are conscious of the environment. Bamboo diapers are velvety soft too, and BumGenius offers a bamboo fitted diaper that is getting rave reviews from parents.

Diaper Duty

Buying cloth diapers is the easy part though. Caring for cloth diapers is the part that makes many moms and dads squeamish. But even that part is easier now. New fabric options allow you to skip the soaking and rinsing that were common in the past and use a dry pail method. You just store the soiled diapers in a diaper pail or bucket and then throw them in the wash a couple times a week. If you absolutely must rinse the diapers before washing then you may want to try a diaper sprayer called a mini shower that connects to your commode. To control odors, just sprinkle a bit of baking soda over the diapers or use Pail Pals. You can find all of these items at clothdiaper.com.

If you need general cloth diaper care information, like laundering tips and troubleshooting, you can turn to The Diaper Jungle: A Cloth Diaper Mega Information Source. This site has a nifty detergent chart that is “loads of fun.”

Alternatives to Cloth

So what if cloth diapers just aren’t for you? Well, another option is the flushable diaper by gDiapers. As their web site says, “Imagine taking your baby’s soiled diaper and simply flushing it down the toilet. No more smell. No more diaper. No more diaper pail. You’re putting waste right where it belongs, in the toilet. Not in a landfill.”

The ‘little g’ pants are made of water resistant, machine-washable, breathable material to keep wetness away and prevent diaper rash. Each pair of ‘little g’ pants comes with a spare snap-in liner. You also get a handy swishstick for breaking apart the flushable stuffing, and a H.U.G. - Handy User Guide. After you have a sufficient amount of the reusable pants then all you have to do is purchase the refills.

It can take as long as 500 years for disposable diapers to biodegrade in a landfill. It is comforting to know that we have options that will ensure our baby’s diapers will not be around to pollute the Earth for generations to come.

We have good news, people. You can experience this cloth napkin sensation in your own home. All you need to do is use (well, this seems rather obvious, but…) your cloth napkins. We know you have them. You get them out every Thanksgiving and Christmas and try to remember how to fold them in swan shapes. We think you should use them all year long - every day. Go tree free at dinner!

If we're talking daily use, you actually might need some extra napkins (look for eco-fabrics!), but once you've got them, they will last for years. Compare that to those paper napkins that sometimes require more than one just to get through a meal! Here's how it will work:

1. Remove paper napkins from sight.
2. Put a cloth napkin in front of each place setting at the table. Swans are optional. We tend to go with a simple fold down the middle, then a tri-fold to get a nice manageable rectangle shape.
3. Explain that "this is a high-class family that also cares for the environment" and that's why there's a change. Encourage them to use the napkins as they would any other. (Have you ever been to a dinner party where cloth napkins are out, but if a napkin was actually needed you used paper? We've seen it happen.)
4. You have a choice on this one:
   1. Super green: If the napkins aren't what you would consider dirty, save them for the same person to use at the next meal.
   2. Clean freak? Resist the tempation, but if you must: Put the napkins in the dirty clothes.
5. Wash the napkins once you have a full load of laundry. DO NOT run the washing machine for just a couple of napkins. That will probably erase all of the eco-benefits of avoiding the paper use in the first place.
6. As with any time you use the washing machine, make sure to adjust the water level to the appropriate setting, wash on cold if possible, and use as eco-friendly detergent as you can.

Get your family involved and have some fun with it! And give "the swan" or 26 other folds a shot: 27 Cloth Napkin Folds.

Rebecca says: Step #4.1 above is where you are going to get the most environmental bang on this one. Give it a shot. In order to make it work, you might want to give each family member a different color. Oh, and did we mention if you use cloth napkins, you can do the cool "bra trick" at the dinner table? Priceless.

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