If I ever had a child (as if) I’d try to use cloth diapers, with a diaper service. I’m not sure it would work out, though, if the baby inherited my skin. Being the eldest- aka mommy and daddy’s guinea pig- cloth diapers were initially used on me, to disastrous results. The doctor told my mother that the cloth diapers, or probably what they were washed in, was responsible for my horrific diaper rash, and he actually advised her to switch to disposable.
As for choosing other disposables vs reusables, paper towels and feminine products are the only ones I routinely choose over the alternatives. It’s “mother nature’s” fault we have to even use the damn things, so screw her and the environment! [sub]Sorry, that’s the pms talking.[/sub]
Your babysitters will (or do) love you.
I was at my most environmental in high school - and there was still nothing I hated more than finding out the parents had decided to go with cloth diapers.
However, cloth diapers make excellent cleaning cloths…better than sponges. Then you wash them and reuse. I also use a sh-mop, which is kind of like a re-usable swiffer - the cloths get washed with the other cleaning rags.
After my unpleasant experiences with Instead, there’s no way I’m going to a reusable feminine product. And I do use paper towels.
Disposable diapers are where it’s at as far as I’m concerned, except in the case (maybe) of very young infants who aren’t as stinky and messy. I used disposable diapers and wipes and the diaper genie, with it’s big old plastic refills. My concession to the environment is to only have one child, whom I potty trained fairly young. Oh, and he had rashes all over his body except for the diaper area.
Regarding the menstrual cup, no thanks. Yes, it may be just a body fluid and honestly I’m not grossed out by my own used tampons or anything, but I don’t pee on my hand if I can help it, either. Just because it’s mine, doesn’t mean I want to embrace it. Nobody every accused me of being an earth mother.
Just because you can do something doesn’t always mean that you should. As being good stewards of the planet, we should try not to be too excessive.
A 100-yard hole? Er … that’s 300 feet deep. Isn’t that like a 30-story building? :rolleyes:
My source says 5 to 10 years’ capacity is out there.
This is from ASCE’s Report Card on America’s Infrastructure:
"Sanitary landfilling in the United States has made monumental strides in the last 20 years, moving from open dumps with little or no control to “state of the art” facilities with sophisticated containment systems, environmental monitoring, improved operational practices, and increased regulation. At the same time, more stringent regulations have caused landfill capacity to decline: between 1986 and 1996, the total number of landfills in the U.S. fell from 7,683 facilities to 3,581 - a capacity reduction of more than 50%. …
Since the mid-1980s, almost three-fourths of the nation’s municipal landfills have closed because regulations governing land disposal have tightened. Most states, however, still have more than 10 years’ landfill capacity remaining, with the greatest potential shortages projected for the Northeast where most states have less than five years’ capacity on average…
Specific recommendations supported by ASCE:
-Emphasis should be given to integrated management of MSW. Continued development of improved landfill design and operating technology is paramount.
-Increased federal funding of research into waste-to-energy programs.
-The problem of overconsumption should be addressed, with the goal of reducing the production and consumption of unnecessary goods, packaging and throwaways. Toxic materials used in products and packaging and produced as byproducts in production processes should be minimized."
Of course, I kind of like the last one.
oh … ASCE = American Society of Civil Engineers;)