To CD or NOT to CD, that is the question...

CD as Cloth Diapering!

I have been asked many times why on earth I am going to CD my baby... Well, first, this would not be my first time CDing, I did it with my two girls the only difference is that I only did it at home. This time I am preparing myself to do it full time!

You will then ask... why I am going to fill myself with piles of laundry from CDing?!? Well if I am already doing the laundry why would I be worry to add one more load or two a week? Cloth Diapers are a natural way of diapering a baby! I just don't want my baby to rub against some rough plastic or paper and most likely chemicals!

Yep, CHEMICALS! Disposable Diapers are manufactured with a super absorbent chemical called sodium polyacrylate that absorbs and holds fluids in the diaper. Have you seen or felt a gel-like type of texture in a disposable diaper? This chemical has been linked to toxic shock syndrome, to cause allergic reactions. Dioxin, the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is a byproduct of bleaching paper. Even in the smallest detectable quantities, dioxin has been known to cause liver disease, immune system suppression, and genetic damage in lab animals. Dyes found in some disposables are known to damage the central nervous system, kidneys, and liver. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) received reports that fragrances caused headaches, dizziness, and rashes.

A baby (YOUR baby) spends about 25,000 hours on a diaper and needs about 6,000 diapers changes in the first years of life! So now that you know how many hours a baby will spend on a diaper and how many changes needs... Why don't you consider CLOTH DIAPERS? I did :)

As most of you know, I am always considering the alternative, because I think we are meant to live in a more natural way... It is hard to live a natural life on the very modern world of today, you may think. It is NOT! You just need to accept who you are and go from there...

I have always been an advocate of a healthy environment, and of course, disposables are not environmental friendly at all! Disposable diapers are NOT readily biodegradable! Therefore... they fill up our landfills with untreated body excrement, carrying over 100 intestinal viruses contaminating our groundwater and attracting insects that carry and transmit diseases.

Cloth Diapers might be too expensive? Wrong! You actually SAVE thousands of dollars by using Cloth Diapers! The initial cost arrange from $200 to $300 which will take you for the first year or so. Disposables will cost you around $2200 during the same time period.

Cloth Diapers are too messy! Wrong again! They are somewhat more hygienic than disposables. You won't fill up your trash can (or your friend's) with some stinky diapers, you can easily get a Mini Shower Spray and rinse the spoiled diaper right in your bathroom then throw them on a pail with a lid. What I normally do, is to fill the pail with water and a few drops of essential oil. I prefer lavender or peppermint, hmmmm! :) For outings, I would just throw them on a simple zip lock bag or a wet bag (although I prefer a wet bag to minimize consumption!), which they are now available on all kinds of gorgeous colors and designs!!! ;)

Remember something... They are NOT your grandmother's diapers! The modern cloth diapers are more efficient and better constructed than the ones made many years ago... You can find all kind of cloth nappies, colors and designs. In addition, the baby would look so cute with them... How can you resist?!?!

TRAIN TRAVELING = HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT

Public transportation produces 95 percent less carbon monoxide (CO) and 90 percent less in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and nearly 50 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx), per passenger mile than private vehicles, according to APTA. (American Public Transportation Association)

Washington, D.C. - In honor of Earth Day, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) reminds Americans of the role public transportation plays to help the environment. This message is especially timely when most states cannot meet air quality standards, gasoline prices are at an all-time high, and Congress is debating a six-year transportation investment bill.

"Each year, Earth Day ought to be an impetus for more Americans to use public transportation to reduce air pollution and conserve fuel," said William W. Millar, president of APTA. "Earth Day 2004 reminds us that Congress can help the environment and expand travel options for all Americans by passing a robust public transportation investment package."

Last week the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) informed 474 counties in 32 states that they failed to meet new federal air quality standards for ground-level ozone. This is sad news for the 159 million Americans who live in these areas. Far worse, these 32 states are now at risk of losing federal transportation funding for new transit systems and roads if they cannot meet EPA's standards within the next three years.

This week, the American Automobile Association announced gas prices have reached all-time highs on local, statewide and national levels.

"With gasoline prices at record highs, many Americans are finding that mobility is becoming very costly," Millar said. "For daily commuters, people on fixed incomes, and low wage earners, these increasing costs are a real hardship."

To underscore these points, Millar referred to a 2002 study that showed increasing public transportation use is the most effective, and possibly the only way to improve air quality and reduce energy consumption without new taxes, government mandates or regulations. The study found that even small increases in transit usage would help many major U.S. cities meet EPA's air quality standards, and if one in ten Americans used public transportation regularly, U.S. reliance on foreign oil could be cut by more than 40 percent (the amount of oil we import from Saudi Arabia every year).

"A commitment to use public transportation one more day a week would make a dramatic and measurable difference in the planet's environment and in the health of many Americans," Millar said. "Transit is one of the vital solutions to our environmental and economic challenges."

"In the coming weeks, Congress will address a new six-year transportation funding bill that will affect the quality of life for all Americans," Millar said. "The decisions that will be made about transit funding will influence the quality of our air, the time we spend in traffic, and the cost of our freedom and mobility for many years ahead."

"Let's make Earth Day the start of a new national commitment to transit and a cleaner environment through increased investment in public transportation."

Information taken from:
http://www.apta.com/media/releases/earth_day.cfm