Did you know that it takes 500 years for one disposable diaper to decompose in our landfills? By using cloth diapers, you can make a significant impact on our environment.
We love that FuzziBunz Modern Cloth Diapers are not only easy-to-use and oh-so-adorable, but they’re also very earth-friendly! You can find out more about the environmental impact of cloth diapers by clicking here.
Many FuzziBunz users are earth-conscious in other ways, too. We asked our fans how else they try to make their home and families more earth-friendly, and here’s what they said:
Breastfeeding
Recycling
Composting
Low usage of harsh chemicals
Eat less meat
Garden
Shop locally
Play outside
Don’t use paper towels
Re-use grocery store bags
Use cloth wipes
Use a menstrual cup
Use cloth nursing pads
Keep their own chickens for fresh eggs
Keep rabbits to breed for meat
Organic food and herb garden
Up-cycle old furniture
Paper-free household
Plant trees
Keep lights off during day
Line dry as much as possible
“If it’s yellow, let it mellow.”
Create their own cleaning supplies with natural ingredients
Use vinegar and lemon juice for cleaning
LED and low energy light bulbs
Appliances serviced regularly
Cloth menstrual pads
Cluster errands together to save gas
Use baking soda for cleaning
Don’t buy as many cheap plastic toys
Mending items, especially clothes so they last longer
One car or no car at all
Cook at home as much as possible
Cloth grocery bags
Bring their own glass tupperware for restaurant leftovers
Unplug everything when not in use
Create their own baby wipe solution
Walk or bike to work when possible
Being earth-friendly is easy and whether you do all of these things or only a few, every bit helps! Visit us on Facebook and mention us on Twitter (@FuzziBunz) to let us know how you’re celebrating Earth Day today!
Don’t forget! Shop.FuzziBunz.com is offering a %15 percent discount with the code EARTHDAY15 – it ends tonight at 11:59 PM CST. You can also check with your favorite retailer to find out if they’re having an Earth Day sale, too.
Cloth diapers. It’s a term that makes many new mothers cringe. The idea of dealing with washing and folding dozens of diapers and the risk of stabbing their own fingers while protecting their child’s mid-section from the business end of a safety pin doesn’t appeal to most.
Even those who look for environmentally-friendly ways of doing things hesitate to venture into the routine of their grandmother’s day.
But, a Tereson Dupuy, Broussard woman has brought cloth diapers into the 21st century with the addition of a polar fleece dryness liner, a built-in waterproof exterior and adjustable snaps to make diapering quick, easy and pain-free.
Her FuzziBunz® diapers appeal to many parents, including high-profile moms and dads in Hollywood and Nashville.
And her budding international business came about because of personal necessity.
When Dupuy’s son was a baby, disposable diapers weren’t an option.
“He has a skin condition – atopic dermatitis and eczema,” she said. “Putting disposable diapers on him caused so many problems – rashes and bleeding.”
She was obligated to use cloth diapers, but she didn’t like the hassle of safety pins and separate vinyl pants.
So, she invented something that combines the baby-friendly and environmentally-friendly characteristics of cloth diapers with the convenience of disposables.
Her invention, now about 10 years old, is known worldwide as FuzziBunz®.
“It’s a three-stage system,” Dupuy said.
The polar fleece, which is next to the baby’s skin, draws moisture away from the baby and into an absorbent cloth pad, which is inserted into a pocket inside the diaper. The stay-dry feature is accomplished without using chemicals or gels, Dupuy said.
The inner fleece lining and pad are contained within a waterproof outer lining.
“Everything separates to be washed,” Dupuy said, “so it gets really clean.”
Tanya Domingue, a pediatric nurse and Scott resident, began using FuzziBunz® four months ago, when her son, Jack, was born.
She had previously used disposable diapers on her two older children.
Domingue said there is no comparison between the two.
“These FuzziBunz® win hands down,” she said. “It has a soft feel.”
Domingue said the reusable diapers are actually easier to deal with once they’re soiled than disposables.
“And, I like the idea we’re not putting more into the landfills with these diapers.”
At first, Dupuy made the diapers herself, just for personal use, but word soon got around in some of the parenting forums and chat rooms she belonged to.
A cottage industry developed, and in 2000, Dupuy’s business, which operates under the name, Mother of Eden, took off.
“I got out of the house; I stopped sewing, myself, rented a building, got employees and have been increasing ever since,” she said.
Now, her product is being sold nationwide on the Internet.
“I also have a large distributor in the UK, Finland, Australia – places where they’re a little more green than the United States.”
Celebrity parents have been heard to say they use FuzziBunz® on their babies, including 90210 star Tori Spelling and country music star Brad Paisley and his wife, actress and model Kimberly Williams Paisley.
Although FuzziBunz® are available on the Internet, Dupuy would like local parents to know that they can be purchased directly from her.
For those who don’t have a celebrity income, the cost of each diaper is a bit of a stumbling block. They sell for about $20 each.
But, they’re much cheaper in the long run, Dupuy said.
Domingue estimates that at seven diapers a day, she had already spent about $240 on disposables for her older children by the time they were 4 months old – Jack’s age.
Dupuy said most people get enough FuzziBunz® to last about a day and a half, so they don’t have to wash every day. The snaps allow for an adjustable fit, so the diapers grow with the baby.
“A full (set) of FuzziBunz® is $200- to $300, compared to $2,500 for disposables,” she said, assuming that disposable diapers are used for about three years.
Expo to Highlight Natural and Eco-Friendly Ways to Raise Children
CHICO, CA. – The Green Baby Expo is proud to announce that Mother of Eden, the makers of the famed FuzziBunz® pocket diapers, is the official sponsor of its one-day event to promote natural living to today’s eco-conscious families. Founded by a group of dedicated Chico businesses owners and concerned citizens, the Green Baby Expo’s mission is to educate families about the various green and natural products and programs available today
The one day Expo will be held on June 21st from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico, Ca. Vendors across the nation will be exhibiting products and services that appeal to eco-minded families. In addition to exhibitors, the Expo offers entertainment and fun for the whole family, including bounce houses, face painting and animals.
The admission fee is $5 per family, which includes a complimentary reusable ChicoBag tote filled with valuable coupons and goodies. Attendees also will be entered into drawings to win thousands of dollars worth of prizes.
Cyndi Pereira of Chico founded BabiesinChico.com, a Website that supports natural parenting practices, after the birth of her son. “My vision for the Green Baby Expo is to have a place that showcases today’s natural parenting practices so that other families can become introduced to great things like attachment parenting, breastfeeding, baby wearing and cloth diapering,” she says.
Tereson Dupuy, CEO of Mother of Eden and inventor of the FuzziBunz® pocket diapers says, “We are proud to sponsor the Green Baby Expo because it offers families valuable information about how to raise their babies green. It’s a great way for the whole family to come together to learn about how to make this world a better place for our children.”
For more information about the official sponsor of the Green Baby Expo, FuzziBunz®, please visit www.FuzziBunz.com. Please also support our other sponsors: Santa Cruz Organics, Luna Bars, R.W. Knudsen, Moby Wrap, and Frog Mama Baby Carriers.
For more information about the Green Baby Expo, please visit GreenBabyExpo.com.
LAFAYETTE, La. – FuzziBunz® has partnered with The Green Parent author, Jenn Savedge, to highlight the important role parents play in raising environmentally conscious children.
In her book, The Green Parent – A Kid-Friendly Guide to Earth-Friendly Living, released on April 1, Savedge tackles every topic, from the diaper debate to how to take eco-friendly family vacations.
Tereson Dupuy, the inventor of FuzziBunz® diapers, says that Savedge’s book is a public service to the parents of the world. “Jenn is teaching parents how to establish eco-friendly parenting practices early-on in hopes that future generations will imitate those practices later in life to become thoughtful stewards of the world.”
Savedge says that even children as young as two years old can learn what it means to take care of our planet. Parents should look for teachable moments, she advises.
“A baby may wonder why she wears that FuzziBunz® diaper that her parents wash. These are moments that parents can teach their children that their diapers help keep the earth green,” says Savedge.
She adds, “As parents, we know that reusable diapers help reduce landfill waste, pollution, resource consumption, and the dangerous greenhouse gases that cause global warming. And while this may be a bit much for a little one to understand, even the youngest children will appreciate that her diapers help the grass grow better and the air stay cleaner.”
Dupuy says, “We are excited to partner with Jenn because, at the core, our message is the same: Take care of our planet to ensure that future generations have access to the same nature we enjoy each and every day.”
And the best part, for every purchase of The Green Parent, the book’s publisher will plant a tree on the buyer’s behalf.
Okay, you know you’re in trouble when your husband starts sending you links to products like FuzziBunz® microfleece re-usable diapers. “But I saw them in Wired,” he protests, “And they fit with your whole earth-friendly, reduce, reuse, recycle ethic.” Whatever, man. You’re sending me links about diapers.
That said, FuzziBuns® do look pretty snappy (pun intended). They come with durable snaps that let you adjust the size to fit your baby’s legs and waist. They’re made with microfleece, which according to the site, “gently touches your baby’s skin, pulling away moisture and keeping your baby rash-free, dry, and comfortable.” The outside layer is waterproof. And they come with a “patented, pocket-style opening” that acts as, well, a pocket, so you can stuff it with inserts or towels to increase the diapers’ absorbency.
According to groups like the Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment, the jury’s still out on whether cloth diapers are better for the environment than disposables. They use more energy to clean, but take less energy to produce and create a lot less solid waste. And of course there are the parents who suggest that if less is more, none is best – and therefore advocate going the diaper-less route.
At Really Natural, we think it’s up to you as a parent to decide what’s right for you and your child. But if you’re thinking about going the cloth or re-usable diaper route, FuzziBunz® deserves a top to bottom look.
When your little one arrives, it makes sense that you’ll want to have everything ready. A crib, stuffed animals, blankets, nursing bras, and many other items sit waiting for your little boy or girl’s debut. But what about diapers? Is it something you’ve really taken a moment to consider? There has long been a debate between the disposable and cloth diaper, but with technology on the side of the eco-conscious, the battle is about to be over.
Disposable Waste
More than 3 million tons of diapers go into U.S. landfills a year according to the EPA, and will take decades or even centuries to biodegrade. For many, this is enough to switch to cloth diapers, yet for those dead set against the diapers of their grandmothers, some companies have considered producing recycled diapers. It only makes sense that this would happen, because the common diaper is made of materials that can easily be recycled.
Jeffrey Potter, Director of Communications Programs for the Biodiversity Project makes mention of the advantages of recycling diapers, in that it gives us the opportunity to “treat the human waste held in the diapers, protecting our surface and groundwater supplies from potential contamination.” Yet even though 95% of diaper materials are recyclable, no such recycling centers have been created, thus the initiative goes on hold. Being the only kind of disposable diaper that would be beneficial to use, all the environmentally aware person is left with are cloth diapers.
Cloth Diaper Benefits
The cloth diapers of today have most certainly moved beyond those of your mother or grandmother’s years. An assortment of styles, types, fabrics and fastenings have brought the cloth diaper up to par with the disposable in the areas of convenience and absorption. Betty Winslow, a mother of four, used cloth diapers on all of her children with plastic pants over them. “It cut down on rashes and allergic reactions, was way cheaper since you only paid for them once…no worries about having the right size and they were easier on the environment.”
Still not convinced? Many people are reluctant to cross over to cloth because of the washing factor. It is just too easy to throw away disposable diapers, rather than deal with washing them. However, it’s really not that difficult. After depositing any solid waste into the toilet, you can wash a load of diapers in the washing machine. If you choose to, you can also presoak the diapers in a diaper pail to loosen materials and reduce the risk of staining. Once you wash the diapers, be sure to run them through a cold rinse cycle and then line dry or in the drier on a normal setting. Most diaper covers can be machine washed, unless they’re wool, which require hand washing. Regardless of washing, however, think of what sacrificing a little extra time with the laundry will benefit in other areas.
Less expense. Ask any new parent and their number one largest expense by far is diapers. If you use cloth diapers, however, you’ll save an enormous amount of money, as you only have to buy a set amount. According to Mary McCarthy, owner of Comfy Bummy Diapers, an entire set of diapers for one child should cost somewhere around $315, which includes the cost of disposable diaper liners that are completely biodegradable. How many diapers should you buy? Enough to last about 3-4 days says McCarthy, unless you want to be doing the laundry every other day.
Less hazardous. Disposable diapers fill up the landfills and don’t biodegrade fast enough to keep up with our human consumption. Cloth diapers on the other hand, are made of biodegradable materials, so when they finally have served the full extent of their purpose, they won’t add to any pollution problems.
Less leaks. Maybe not in comparison to disposable diapers, but the newer cloth diapers are much better than the old ones. No longer will you find loose fitting legs, but rather fitted diapers with maximum absorbency in the right places.
Less Irritation. Some babies can be allergic to the harsh chemicals and plastics used in making disposable diapers. A soft cotton diaper is least likely to cause rashes and cuts down on the risk of allergies. Just be sure to purchase cloth that is unbleached or chlorine-free.
Cloth Option
Many types of cloth diapers now exist and provide a wide variety of choices. From prefolds to fitted, parents can actually make a selection regarding cloth diapers. Diaper covers and wraps secure the diaper in place and prevent any leakage from occurring. You can buy diapers that have the diaper and cover connected in one piece, or you can add “doublers” or extra strips of thick cotton to add absorbency.
Tereson Dupuy, inventor of the FuzziBunz® diaper supports the use of cloth diapers. “Today’s reusable diapers are just as convenient and easy to use as disposables are, using fasteners such as Velcro and snaps to replace pins, and new high tech fabrics to eliminate all of the hassles of ‘old time’ ways of diapering,” comments Dupuy. Her patented “pocket diapers” contain polar fleece and micro-terry, that absorb better than chemical fillers and jell materials. Dupuy even claims “pocket diapers” keep babies drier and can virtually eliminate diaper rash.
Cloth diapers are now healthy contenders to the highly marketed and wasteful disposable diaper. Whether or not you choose cloth for your baby is up to you, but with soft cotton covering your baby’s bottom, the benefits outweigh the “burden” of throwing them in the washing machine. To be environmentally sound, cloth is the only way to go.
Brenda Stokes is a freelance writer and college student based in Southern California. She has work accepted by ePregnancy, Woman This Month, N2Arts and others. She can be reached at brenda@ph-x.com or www.ph-x.com
Original article on ReallyNatural.com:
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