The Cloth versus Disposable Debate

Yes, that's my washer with cloth diapering materials piled on it. A few weeks ago as I hauled yet another garbage bag filled with disposables to the trash bins, I decided I was ready to make the leap to cloth diapers. When Claire was first born, the idea seemed too overwhelming in addition to all the other parts of the new baby world we had to figure out. Now, however, inspired by my friend Elisabeth, I feel like I can do my part to help the environment and our budget by using cloth while we are at home. (I don't use them overnight, when she's at daycare, or when we are running around town.) I did a little research online, got totally overwhelmed by the cloth diaper marketing machine, called Elisabeth for some perspective, and decided to keep it as simple as possible. So far, so good. It is a little extra work, but when I'm at home in the afternoons it's nothing we can't handle. By the way, my other "green" crusade lately has been using these great reusable grocery sacks instead of the plastic ones you get at the store. Nothing revolutionary, a little extra effort, but we all have to start somewhere, right? (Those of you who lived with me at Auburn may be remembering the water saving plan I implemented in the toilets right now. I think these are a little more practical!)