Last week we reviewed Amy Dacyczyn’s Tightwad Gazette , the ultimate guide to creative frugality.  We could ooze on for hours about her innovative outlook on reusing and reducing, but instead we’ll give you some concrete examples of how she made budget friendly, eco-friendly choices with her twin babies.  Since Dacyczyn thought her fourth child would be her last, she had given away all of her baby things, only to find out that she was having a…

Writing a green blog is a great deal like being a minister.  Why?  Because when I inform acquaintances about our website’s mission, they invariably launch into their own eco-failings. I listen and nod, acting as though I have the power to pardon their sordid eco-sins. Of course, I have no such ability—partly because I’m not an eco-evangelist and partly because I too am a work in progress The truth is, my family has a list of transgression…

In real life, it’s often hard–or even impossible–to find cloth diaper supplies.  Big box stores like Target or Babys-R-Us sell a few cloth diapers, but these are generally the flimsy varieties that are better used as burp cloths.  If you want to get started with cloth diapers, your best bet is to find a brick and mortar store in your town.  Here in Portland, I’ve had good luck at Mother Nature’s (for new suppli…

Consumer Reports estimates you’ll spend $1500-2000 for disposable diapers before your child is potty trained.  Can you save by using cloth?  Yes!  The cheapest option, prefolds plus covers, can cost as little as $243 over 2.5 years—that includes washing and drying expenses.  An all-in-one (such as this one by bumGenius) or pocket diaper (such as a Fuzzibunz) can cost around $17 each, so people tend to buy fewer and wash them more often,…

We love getting email here at the Green Baby Guide.  One of our readers is planning to switch over to cloth diapers and wrote in with the following questions: I really want to switch to cloth diapers and have been doing a lot of research on the different kinds out there and it is really overwhelming!  I think I am leaning towards prefolds and/or flats with a Dappi cover for the most inexpensive option.  What kinds do you gals use?  Any specific…

On our recent article “Cloth Diaper Recommendations for a Complete Novice,” one of our readers asked if it would be worth investing in cloth diapers if she lived in an apartment with coin-operated laundry.  In my opinion, based on number-crunching rather than personal experience, it would be worth a try.  Even if you have to pay to run the washer and dryer, you will save money using cloth diapers.  As long as your washer and dryer wo…

Do you own a solar powered dryer? If not, they’re available for under twenty bucks and can save loads of emissions in their lifetime. Yes, I am talking about the humble drying rack. Whether you live in an urban apartment or sprawling acreage, anyone can handle erecting a drying rack and letting nature do the rest. You won’t need dozens of clothespins to hang each sock, baby t-shirt, or undergarment.  Just flop the clothing on the rack in…

At a book signing awhile ago, a pregnant friend of a friend approached me with a few cloth diapering questions.  With glee, I launched from my chair and flew to the diapering section of the baby boutique that was hosting the event.  While holding up striped diaper covers, flowered pocket diapers and hemp pre-folds I described the pros and cons of each, outlined care instructions and summarized costs.  I think I may have also been gesturing wildl…

In the 2.5 years my daughter wore diapers, we bought just six packs of disposables.  I’m sure I could have done better if I’d really set my mind to it.  We didn’t deal with the nighttime diaper dilemmas some parents face, so we used cloth at night.  We also traveled a lot during those years, and we stuck with cloth diapers for several of those trips.  (I know, I know–traveling is not green at all!  Read about my personal…

One of our readers wrote in to The Green Baby Guide asking us about flushable diapers.  Neither Joy nor I has ever used gDiapers, but we’re hoping our readers have.  Have you tried them out on your babies?  Why did you choose gDiapers over cloth diapers or regular disposables?  Did you love them?  Hate them?  Please post a comment and give us your honest opinions!…