Environmentally Friendly Diaper Pails!

I only really started being environmentally conscious about 11 months ago :). I never really considered it much before, but as soon as Luke was born, I suddenly wanted the world to be a better place for him, so now I care about things I never even considered caring about before. 

Did you know that it could take up to 500 years for one disposable diaper to decompose? Did you know the average baby uses around 5,000 diapers before they are potty trained? Did you know that the EPA estimates that the US uses 18 billion disposable diapers every year?

That is a lot of crap. A lot of waste to decompose. Now I'm not saying you shouldn't use disposable diapers, because a lot of the time, that's just not practical. But when you use a diaper genie or similar product, with each diaper, it twists plastic around that diaper to lock in the smell. And when you remove the bag, you now have plastic surrounding a diaper that is already going to take almost 500 years to decompose, the inevitable diaper sausage, so now it's going to take even longer. 

Choosing a diaper that is non-toxic and eco-friendly is very important, as they will decompose faster and not allow chemicals to leach back into our water system. See my previous post on safe disposable diapers for options! 

Some might argue that you need the diaper genie to lock in the bad smell, but this is not true. There are a million other diaper pails out there that keep the nursery smelling great without hurting the environment. Some go as far as emptying the waste in the diaper directly into the toilet, which cuts down on landfill waste that enters our water system, but this is a little much. If you're going to do that, you might as well just cloth diaper. Others might use a reusable trash bag and dump the dirty diapers directly into their garbage can, and just wash the bag frequently. And some people, swear by the totally diaper-free approach, I'm not judging, but wow! Here is a link that explains this approach through elimination communication ;).

These options aren't for me, though we have started cloth diapering Luke (we currently use a combination of cloth and eco-friendly disposables), so I'll share with you what I do, which isn't 100% eco-friendly, but it's a hell of a lot better than a diaper genie. It also makes life easier! No more buying special trash bags for the diaper pail, you just use the trash bags you already have! 

ubbi

I did a bit of research before Luke was born, and obviously decided I didn't want a diaper genie, but I also didn't really want a plastic container either (mostly for aesthetics, but now I just hate plastic). I ended up putting an UBBI Diaper Pail on my registry, which my sisters so kindly got for me! What I love about this diaper pail, is that it uses regular, old trash bags. 

Our ubbi in ivory :)

So I don't have to buy separate diaper pail bags, which is so convenient, and saves a little bit of money in the long run. Now Jared takes care of the trash, so when he takes the trash out every week, he removes the trash bag and puts a new one in. It has an opening at the top, with a handle that you use to open and close it, and it definitely keeps the smell in. It is made of steel, and comes in a bunch of great colors! If a diaper pail could be pretty, this is it! Downside is that it runs about $79.99, but it's now available on Amazon, Target, Babies R US, Pottery Barn, Kohl's and other retailers. It truly is a one time investment. Almost a year later, mine is still in perfect condition and stays clean. 

Diaper Champ

If you are looking for a similar idea, without spending the same amount of money, the Diaper Champ works the same great way. It is a plastic diaper pail (two color options: blue or pink accents) and runs as low as $27.99. These are available everywhere (Amazon, Target, WalMart, etc...). I've never used it, but I know people that have and like it.

Really, any trash can with a lid or opening that completely closes will work, it just may not lock in the smell 100%. What is great though, is that after I'm done with diapers, I can take my UBBI pail and use it as a regular trash can because it looks nice enough. 

Since the Diaper Champ doesn't cost any more than the Diaper Genie, and locks in the smell just the same, it really is a great alternative. If you have found a diaper pail that you love and works well for you, please comment and share with me!!

With Eco-Friendly Love,

Claudia