Awareness of the importance of environmental protection and reducing harmful effects on our planet is increasingly present in modern society. In order to assess the impact on the environment, a concept known as ecological footprint is used. The ecological footprint is a measure that quantifies the amount of land and water needed to meet the resource consumption of an individual, a community or an entire society. Measuring the ecological footprint allows for a better understanding of the impact on the environment and the identification of areas that require urgent change. It is calculated by comparing total consumption (food, housing, transportation, energy, etc.) with the capacity of the planet to renew these resources and absorb the waste we produce. It plays a key role in the sustainability of our planet, and indicates how important it is to reduce fossil fuel consumption, promote renewable energy sources, encourage sustainable production processes and consumption, and support recycling and reuse of raw materials.
In today's world, where climate change has become a global challenge and where the issue of environmental sustainability has become a key topic, raising children with an emphasis on ecological awareness is becoming extremely important, and an increasing number of parents recognize their role in creating a greener future for their children. Parents known as eco-conscious parents are actively looking for ways to live more sustainably and responsibly, often adapting their lifestyles to reduce their negative impact on the environment and instill positive habits in their children.
One of the areas that is in focus when it comes to the ecological footprint is the use of diapers for children, with a special emphasis on the impact of disposable diapers on the environment. While many parents choose disposable diapers for convenience, eco-conscious parents recognize the importance of considering alternatives to reduce their negative impact on the planet.
The production process of disposable diapers requires large amounts of raw materials, including plastic, cellulose, superabsorbent granules, chemical additives and perfumes, which leave their mark both on the environment and on the child's health. Disposing of disposable diapers is a growing problem. They are the third largest single participant in waste, right after paper and plastic bottles. The large volume and long-term problem of waste diapers creates serious challenges for waste management and environmental protection. According to research of the Real Diaper Association, more than 92% of disposable diapers end up in landfills, where one diaper takes about 500 years to decompose, and on average, one baby uses about 6,000 diapers by the age of two.
Using a cellulose-based products for the absorbent part of the product, rather than a plastic-based one, can have a more positive impact. In an innovative way to solve the growing problem of disposable diaper waste, researchers at Kitakyushu University in Japan have experimented with creating concrete with it. They found that replacing up to 40% of sand with shredded diapers had no effect on concrete strength.
Environmentally conscious parents recognize these problems and look for alternatives that are less harmful to the environnment. One such alternative is cloth diapers. Although using cloth diapers requires extra effort in terms of washing and maintenance, many parents find these diapers a worthwhile investment due to their environmental benefits. Cloth diapers can be washed and reused, reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and reducing the need to manufacture new diapers. Most cloth diapers are made from natural fibers such as cotton, bamboo or hemp, which means they contain fewer chemicals than disposable diapers, making them safer for children to use and less harmful to the environment over their lifetime. Using these diapers can reduce the risk of skin irritation in children and reduce the negative impact on the environment.
Cloth diapers also have their impact on the environment. However, they are used in drastically smaller amounts, on average only about twenty per child. Although cloth diapers do not directly pollute the environment because they are not thrown away as disposable, their use requires detergents and softeners that pollute wastewater and consume energy due to frequent washing in machines. However, there are more acceptable, respectively more environmentally conscious options, such as using a smaller amount of detergent, drying diapers in the air and using more energy-efficient washing machines. However, all things considered, the environmental footprint of cloth diapers is undoubtedly smaller than that of disposable diapers.
Even though every parent makes their own decision about which diapers to use for their child, it is important to recognize that environmentally conscious parents strive to find a balance between practicality and environmental responsibility. Through their decisions, they not only care about the well-being of their children, but also about the future of our planet.
Through small changes in our daily lives, we can together contribute to a better future for our children and the planet.
