Getting to the bottom of the nappy problem

Have you considered the environmental impact of disposable nappies? A baby may use up to 6,000 nappies. This results in about 1.9% of total domestic waste being made up of disposable nappies, which will take a very long time to degrade in a landfill and give off climate-warming methane gas as they decay. Just one baby can produce about 50% of your own household waste. 

To minimise this waste you could give cloth nappies a go. Modern versions are really easy to use and simple to clean. Even taking a small step like aiming to use one cloth nappy a day will help decrease your waste and save money over time. Check out Waste Free with Kate for all the information you need.

A good switch for wet wipes is reusable cloth wipes and warm water and when you’re out and about pre wet these wipes and carry them in a sealed reusable container. 

We know being new parents can be overwhelming and using reusables can seem like a step too far and that’s why we support Kate Mead's (also known as "The Nappy Lady") two hour workshops on "Waste-free Parenting". She’s done the research for you and shows you all the shortcuts, including:

  • investigate the styles of cloth nappies that are now available
  • get some advice on how to choose and use cloth nappies
  • get tips and hints on the best way to wash modern cloth nappies.

Workshops are held throughout the Wellington region, and entry includes a gift bag of zero waste goodies including a couple of cloth nappies. Get more information and find out how to book on Waste Free with Kate.

 

A selection of modern cloth nappy brands

 

 

Households