I was gung ho about cloth diapering even before my first child was born. The financial and health benefits weren’t a consideration yet. For me, I was strongly opposed to landfill diapers. See? I already had zero waste tendencies.

I’ve been cloth diapering for about 3 1/2 years and using cloth diaper wipes for nearly as long. We’ve gone through three homes and three different washing machines and about 5 times that number in diapering stations and situations. Besides our home set up, we’ve experimented with cloth diapering for extended visits and short day trips. I’ve even dabbled as a sort of cloth diapering guru for friends and relatives.

But it hasn’t been an unbridled success. Old washing machines have ruined much of my diapering stash and repeated (diaper) stripping sessions have not reclaimed a number sufficient to keep both my boys in cloth bottoms. Further, my oldest is too big for the set up I was able to reclaim and is now attending a daycare program.

Still, the bags upon bags of landfill diapers and wipes is a zero waste nightmare.

Zero Waste Bummy Resolutions:

(1) I’m hiding the disposable wipes behind the bins. Don’t tell anyone. I will keep the cloth wipes pre-treated and handy and reserve the disposables for daycare.

(2) I will dust off the wipes bag and wet bag and include them in the diaper bag for day trips.

(3) I will put my youngest in the remaining cloth diapers whenever they are clean during the day (the old cloth night time diapers are shot).

(4) Both boys will be outfitted in cloth swimming diapers/trunks.

(5) I will put my oldest in underwear at least once per day and step up the potty training attention. (My older son has the basics down, but doesn’t seem all that interested in sticking to it.)

The Future:

The boys will just transition from using cloth wipes to family cloth as they grow.

How About You?

Are there any parents out there? Is your partner on board? Is the washing machine? How about daycare? What zero waste tips do you have? Please post them in the comments below!

Until next time, keep that talk walking!