"Efficient" parenting

[Higgy]

Yeah, it's just at first. My 5 year old almost always remembers to turn out the light and never flushes more then once. But it's hard to explain to a 5 year old not to flush after every time cause when he goes to school he has to...so...for now I just need to get some better toilets with a macro flush.

[TimJFowler]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Is it possible to have a small baby and stay eco and efficient? Our son will be born 1-1.5 months from now, but as we prepare our water and electrical usage is already increasing, mainly because the washing machine is being used more often, and at a higher temperature. I wince at the thought of how much more it will increase once there is a newborn in the house.

Congrats! We have a 14 month old and I think it is a given that your total energy/resource use will increase with an additional human in the house.

[*]Use reuseable cloth diapers to minimize waste. This will increase water and energy usage since they have to be washed very often, so...

That Depends on your diaper service / laundering efficiency. The disposable / reusable diaper question isn't a simple one. - Oh Poop! Part Deux | EcoDaddyo.com. We went with disposable, which fills up the landfill, but is a lower-energy / resource use answer where we live.

[*]Replace old washing machine with newer, more efficient model. The new one we're looking for takes a slightly smaller load (4.5kg instead of 5kg), weighs the load to know how much water is needed, and spins at 1200rpm to squeeze out more moisture. The new machine also has an Eco program which saves even more if the load isn't too dirty.

Yes, go for it! Line dry your clothes too (if you weren't already) as that has a large impact on energy use.

[*]Wash the baby in a small tub, then use the water for other things - washing ourselves and/or flushing the toilet.[/LIST]

No suggestions for you. I'm reusing grey water, but not worrying about the dirty bath water which is "black water".

Oh, and I'd like this thread to cover only the 'technical' side of efficient parenting, but if you can recommend any more general ecoparenting forums then please do

I'm looking for the same info and writing about the same on my own website (see tagline). Frankly, I think most parents have an enhanced appreciation for the future of our planet and finding reliable and useful info is a challenge.

Good Luck,
Tim

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by TimJFowler

The disposable / reusable diaper question isn't a simple one. - Oh Poop! Part Deux | EcoDaddyo.com. We went with disposable, which fills up the landfill, but is a lower-energy / resource use answer where we live.

Thanks for that article. I've never seen a comparison on that level.
Among the reasons we are going with cloth nappies are:

• We calculated that it comes out cheaper - the break even point is ~6 months (not counting water/energy for washing). Since this is our first little monster, it's hard to guestimate exactly how much water/energy will cost, but I doubt it would add more than 3-4 months to the break even.
• We read that kids brought up in cloth diapers tend to start using the potty at an earlier age, reducing the total laundry loads needed.
• Disposables have more chemicals, both for bleaching and for absorbing moisture. These can cause rashes and other fun things.
• Disposables allow less ventilation, which also leads to rashes. From what we read about reusables, when you use cloth diapers you will hardly need ointments and creams.
• Disposables increase the temperature inside boys' scrotums, which may lead to infertility (link).
• We will need a few disposables since the hospital doesn't allow reusables for sanitary reasons, but we've found some 'eco' diapers. They cost about 60% more, but it'll only be for a few days.
• We have a laundry additive (Bambino Mio Fresh) which kills bacteria in just 30°C, so we won't have to wash in the 60°-95°C that our parents did, or at least not every load.
• Line drying is our only option.
• If we have a second kid, then the diapers will be used again.

[S-F]

I remember wearing plastic diapers and I found them to be very uncomfortable so I have been an advocate for cloth diapers.

[hamsterpower]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

[*]Disposables allow less ventilation, which also leads to rashes. From what we read about reusables, when you use cloth diapers you will hardly need ointments and creams.

I've heard just the opposite. Disposables absorb and don't leak much any more because of the chemical gelling. This allows thin and breathable construction. Cloth, on the other hand, soaks through, doesn't seal well, and usually needs a unbreathing rubber outer layer.

Another option is to allow children to go bare whenever possible. This makes it easier for them to learn the mechanics of relieving themselves. It also is the BEST option for avoiding and curing rashes. Sure this does not contain spills but there are no clothes to wash after. You will have to watch them carefully, but you will quickly learn their natural signals that something is coming. Then you just have to quickly move them to a basin or toilet or towel. And, kids hate to wear clothes anyway.

[S-F]

Elimination communication - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have picture of my son taking a dump in the toilet before he could hold his head up.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by hamsterpower

I've heard just the opposite. Disposables absorb and don't leak much any more because of the chemical gelling.

And it's that chemical gelling (Sodium Polyacrylate) which is a toxin.

Originally Posted by hamsterpower

Another option is to allow children to go bare whenever possible.

One of the good sides of being born in March is that his first few months will be during the summer

Originally Posted by hamsterpower

And, kids hate to wear clothes anyway.

Until they become teenagers, anyway

[Exalta-STA]

Originally Posted by S-F

Many of the "toys" people give to your new child are aesthetically unpleasing, obnoxious and disposable.

Hahaha this one made me laugh out really loud!

Oh and I'd skip reusing babys bath water...I'll just use it for flushing the toilet.

[Piwoslaw]

I've been collecting data since my son was born and did some calculations today:

• When washing the reusable cloth diapers (cotton@60°C program) the new washing machine uses about 40 liters of water and 829 Wh of electricity (averaged over 19 loads, between 757 and 913 Wh per load),
• Each load is 20-24 diapers, plus some of the kid's clothes,
• This gives about 2 liters and 40 Wh per diaper. This is rounded up, not counting any other clothes into the average, so I won't count the miniscule amount of electricity used for ironing.
• Factoring in the cost of electricity, water and sewage this amounts to a cost of 0.05 PLN (0.015 USD/0.011 EUR) per use per diaper.
• The up front cost of each diaper is 30-40 times more, but it is used once every two days, and will be for at least a year, so this hardly raises the total cost.
• Disposable diapers cost between 0.70 PLN (0.21 USD/0.16 EUR) for the normal types and 1.20 PLN (0.35 USD/ 0.27 EUR) for ecos. Our son would have to use the ecos since he got a terrible rash from the Huggies we got from the hospital. The eco-disposables were fine, but normal cloth diapers are the best

Summing up: Using cloth diapers is not only at least 12-20 times cheaper than disposables, but also much healthier

[Daox]

Do you think you could estimate the costs savings over a year?