DIY GREEN: Cloth V. Disposable ~ Diapers & Shopping Bags

Disposable Diapers sure do create a lot of waste. A whole lot actually. Have you ever thought about how many diapers are actually thrown away each year? Well I'll tell you, over 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown away each year!!! That's enough to reach the moon and back 9 times!!!

Or how about how a disposable diaper is actually made? Check out this power point by Rene' Rodriguez for a real eye opener, you'll find that 1 cup of crude oil is used in making 1 disposable diaper. After you finish ask yourself if you really want the same crude oil used in your car to be used in a product used on your precious little ones.

Another great resource to check out in the cloth v. disposable debate can be found in this awesome article by Heather Saunders over on the Diaper Pin. Its baffling that this information is not a required part of every prenatal class. I wonder how many new parents would leave the hospitals with the free disposables if they were informed before they left. The nurses teach moms about the benefits of breastfeeding both for baby and mom; would it really be that are to throw in a plug about the benefits of  cloth diapers? If you would like to help take action to get cloth diapers into hospitals check out these links & find out how you can help.

http://clothdiapersinhospitals.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/ClothinHospitals

When you take a second to step back and look at all the things we do as people to hurt our planet, it is astounding. Luckily, there are many things we can do to preserve this beautiful planet we live on while ridding our lives of unnecessary chemicals and waste. First and foremost, if you have a baby, use cloth diapers! Check out our website to find out how you can buy cloth diapers that give back to babies in need.

Want more ways to go green??

Well, one of the simplest ways to go green is to use reusable grocery bags. Some California cities have passed laws that ban plastic bags from grocery stores and charge you a small fee if you forget your reusable bags. The impact of plastic bags is huge. Did you know that most plastic bags aren't recycled since it is difficult to do so? Perhaps this is why some countries & cities are urging consumers to bring their own reusable bags on their shopping trips.

A reusable bag is better for the environment regardless of what it is made from, as long as it is used at least four times, according to a 2004 study by the French retailer Carrefour. 

For those interested in making the switch to reusable grocery bags, we took some time and found some awesome DIY tutorials for making you:

http://frugalgranola.com/2012/01/homemade-bulk-shopping-bags-tutorial-giveaway/

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2010/12/green-grocery-bag-challenge-tutorials-and-inspiration/

 

 http://www.canoeridgecreations.com/2010/11/go-green-shopping-bags-tutorial.html

 http://tipnut.com/35-reusable-grocery-bags-totes-free-patterns/

For those not feeling crafty enough to make your own, you can support some WAHMs and buy them from their Etsy stores:

For Cute Crochet Bags, check out Bloom Organics

For Bags With Sass, check out The Joy of Ex Foundation

For Bags In Bright Colors & Adorable Prints, check out Peanuts Boutique 

 

For Bags & Coupon Holder In Cute Retro Inspired Prints, check out All Things Rene

For Artful Bags, check out The Beehivery

Please take some time and check out the links available in this post and please make the choice to make a difference, both locally and globally. And if you're ready to make the switch to cloth we're here for you.

Happy Shopping!   :)