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Spring 2005 Newsletter |
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Our
Spring Newsletter The
Perfect Diaper for Tree Huggers Like Me by Evie Maddox All cloth diapers are more environmentally friendly (EF) when compared to disposables, but how do they all compare to each other? Believe it or not, there seems to be a rift in the cloth diapering community when it comes to "natural" diapers and "synthetic" diapers. Those who want to go natural are the true "tree huggers" and prefer all natural everything from cotton diapers to wool covers. And others are just glad to keep diapers out of the landfill and don't care what their diapers are made from. But who is right? Let's compare a cotton diaper to a polyester diaper. There are obvious comparisons, because most people realize that polyester is not a natural fiber and is made from petroleum. But the catch that most people don't think about when it comes to cotton...unless it's grown organically, it is very bad for the environment. Cotton is a crop that requires LOTS of pesticides in order to grow well. If this doesn't alarm you, please read Growing Up On Chemicals - Our Children's Toxic Environment, by Jane Sheppard. Which is worse? I haven't a clue. But I do know if you want the MOST EF product out there, you need to look for organic cotton diapers. What about hemp? Hemp is a very popular cloth diapering product, especially for the real tree huggers. Most people assume that all hemp is organically grown, but this is not so. Hemp is much easier to grow than cotton and does not require the amounts of pesticides that cotton requires. But that does not mean they never use pesticides. And if a product is not certified organic, you never know what treatment the fabric has been through. Hemp brings up another aspect of EF that I haven't touched on yet. I personally do not like hemp for diapering. One reason is that it tends to get stiff and hard when wet. Another is that it does not hold up very well. No matter what a product is made from, if it will end up in the trash sooner, it will have to be replaced more frequently. Polyester far outlasts conventional cotton and hemp. Organic cotton lasts a little longer than conventional cotton because their fibers are not over-processed. On the flip side, a cotton diaper will break down faster in a landfill, and I'm not sure how long it takes for a polyester diaper, if it breaks down at all. But I also don't know of anyone who has actually thrown out a polyester diaper! They seem to last forever. So what's the verdict? By far, if you are most concerned with EF and using natural products, the clear choice is organic cotton, whether you use prefolds, fitteds, or contours. An excellent choice in cover is wool, or many naturalists like no cover at all. But past that, I think you need to go with the next item on your list- whether fit, baby's comfort, longevity, or price- because it is a toss up when it comes to EF. Hemp is a close second, but be sure to try it out before you load up on it, and remember it does not hold up well with repeated washings. Whatever you choose, know that it is the best choice for your
family, and know that no matter what you choose, someone will
disagree with it. Especially those disposable users who think
that cloth diapers are gross! What's
New at ChildOrganics Earth Day is April 23rd. We'll be setting up a booth at the Earthfest at World's Fair Park, Knoxville. We hope to see you there. Stop by our booth for a free gift! Jewelry
for mom, little girls pearls We now carry some top quality organic baby pouches and slings The beautiful sling from Germany is very versatile. The star sling pouch is really easy to fold up and take along with you. Are you a co-sleeping family? Are you looking for a safe and healthy way to keep your little one next to you? Look no further, we now offer the Humanity Bed. All organic ChildOrganics now has a blog. Your comments are WELCOME! Visit www.childorganics.blogspot.com We focus on natural parenting issues. Have a suggestion for a topic to be covered in the blog. Email me I'm now certified through Sign2Me as an infant-parent sign language instructor. Do you live in the Knoxville area? Are you interested in the benefits that sign language can provide in communicating with your little ones? Learn more here Upstart designer, Jennnifer Morton started the Flirt With Earth collection in April of 2004 with the intention of putting her zest for life into pre-loved garments for children and their mothers. Each original piece is hand dyed with a mixture of peace, love and environmentally friendly products. The soft, silky garments come in eye-catching, fabric-safe patterns that are unique, just like your child. The Flirt With Earth collection is sold at outdoor events and trunk shows in and around the Knoxville area as well as on our website here We had a survey on yahoo.The question was:When deciding what to buy for your family,whether is clothes or groceries, which are the most important to you in deciding what to buy? Here are the percentage of votes cost 20% Kandj123 is the winner, randomly chosen from the survey. Thanks to all those that responded. Please contact me for your puzzle! geohagn@******** is our winner for the March newsletter signup contest. Contact me for you prize! Thank you for reading to the end. Here's a special for our newsletter subscribers: Spring is here and the Bee’s are coming! Burt’s Bees. To celebrate Spring we are having a Burt’s Bees Bargain Bonanza! Here’s how it works. Purchase any TWO of our Burt’s Bee’s Baby Bee products, and get a third product absolutely free! You only pay shipping on the two you purchased. Mix and Match! The free item just needs to be of equal or lesser value than your purchased items individually During checkout: Please choose your first 2 Burt’s Bees items in your shopping cart. Type your free item in the comment box, so it does not get included in your total. Here’s the items that are available: Baby Bee
Buttermilk Lotion 8 oz. $9.00 * email your order to me for starred items, they aren’t on the site yet Here’s a link to the Burt’s Bees page: Here Thank you!
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