I Sh*t You Not

[Full Canvas]

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copied and pasted from

TimesOnline.co.uk
From The Sunday Times

October 19, 2008

Blow to image of "green" reusable nappy​

Marie Woolf, Whitehall Editor

A government report that found old-fashioned reusable nappies damage the environment more than disposables has been hushed up because ministers are embarrassed by its findings.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has instructed civil servants not to publicise the conclusions of the £50,000 nappy research project and to adopt a "defensive" stance towards its conclusions.

The report found that using washable nappies, hailed by councils throughout Britain as a key way of saving the planet, have a higher carbon footprint than their disposable equivalents unless parents adopt an extreme approach to laundering them.

To reduce the impact of cloth nappies on climate change parents would have to hang wet nappies out to dry all year round, keep them for years for use on younger children, and make sure the water in their washing machines does not exceed 60C.

The conclusions will upset proponents of real nappies who have claimed they can help save the planet.

Restricted Whitehall documents, seen by The Sunday Times, show that the government is so concerned by the "negative laundry options" outlined in the report, it has told its media managers not to give its conclusions any publicity.

The report found that while disposable nappies used over 2½ years would have a global warming , impact of 550kg of CO2 reusable nappies produced 570kg of CO2 on average. But if parents used tumble dryers and washed the reusable nappies at 90C, the impact could spiral to . 993kg of CO2 A Defra spokesman said the government was shelving plans for future research on nappies.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article4969413.ece

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[Tarmac]

I've always wondered about stuff like this.

For example, there is this Green-Nazi at work who constantly suggested I stop using the paper coffee cups, and bring my own mug.

Now, I bought a $6 ceramic coffee mug, obviously someone had to make it. Every day I wash it with a bit of soap and hot water, and afterwards I dry it out with a full paper towel.

Now, you might say I am still helping the environment, but by what margin? Probably not much. And unless you know for sure, the soap going into the drain and the paper towel in the trash might just be worse.

 

[Cary Grant]

no matter what the fine details of the argument- reduce/reuse wherever possible is still the wisest course of action.

 

[chorse123]

Tell the baby to poop less? A brilliant idea!

 

[Milhouse]

Originally Posted by Tarmac

I've always wondered about stuff like this.

For example, there is this Green-Nazi at work who constantly suggested I stop using the paper coffee cups, and bring my own mug.

Now, I bought a $6 ceramic coffee mug, obviously someone had to make it. Every day I wash it with a bit of soap and hot water, and afterwards I dry it out with a full paper towel.

Now, you might say I am still helping the environment, but by what margin? Probably not much. And unless you know for sure, the soap going into the drain and the paper towel in the trash might just be worse.

My coffee mug at work was free from a vendor. This makes it truly green I think, since I didn't pay for it. I'm pretty that qualifies under "reduce" (of the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle) since I reduced the price paid. I suggest you do the same.

 

[NaTionS]

I had to google nappy to find out what they were.
Are reusable diapers still common in England? I don't think they are used much in the US.

 

[HHD]

Originally Posted by Full Canvas

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To reduce the impact of cloth nappies on climate change parents would have to hang wet nappies out to dry all year round, keep them for years for use on younger children, and make sure the water in their washing machines does not exceed 60C.


But that's exactly what we did do, and precisely the instructions which came with the washable nappies we used!

 

[RyJ Maduro]

Much like the Ethanol fad.

 

[Tarmac]

Originally Posted by Milhouse

My coffee mug at work was free from a vendor. This makes it truly green I think, since I didn't pay for it. I'm pretty that qualifies under "reduce" (of the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle) since I reduced the price paid. I suggest you do the same.

No way I'm using a free Made in China mug. sorry.

 

[bluemagic]

Originally Posted by Tarmac

No way I'm using a free Made in China mug. sorry.

Where was your $6 mug made?

 

[Tarmac]

Hand-lasted in Japan.

 

[Qubaduck]

Well, to be fair, the point of cotton nappies isn't neccisarialy the energy savings, but that fact that they firstly save millions apon millions of disposable diapers from landfills, and secondly cost a damn sight less than disposables from parents.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by Tarmac

I've always wondered about stuff like this.

For example, there is this Green-Nazi at work who constantly suggested I stop using the paper coffee cups, and bring my own mug.

Now, I bought a $6 ceramic coffee mug, obviously someone had to make it. Every day I wash it with a bit of soap and hot water, and afterwards I dry it out with a full paper towel.

Now, you might say I am still helping the environment, but by what margin? Probably not much. And unless you know for sure, the soap going into the drain and the paper towel in the trash might just be worse.

You wash it every day? I prefer to let mine develop a fine patina. Promotes biodiversity both on the mug and on the planet as a whole.

 

[Milhouse]

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

You wash it every day? I prefer to let mine develop a fine patina. Promotes biodiversity both on the mug and on the planet as a whole.

Probably promotes a good strong immune system too. The US is too clean I think.

 

[Tarmac]

True. washing utensils is a waste of water.