Going Green: Diapering On The Go

Today’s post is a quick follow up to my last cloth diaper follow up ;) from Monday. I had mentioned that we don’t cloth diaper when we travel, but being huge proponents of the whole Go Green thing, we found a simple solution that’s still earth friendly (I’m such a fan that on days when Kev takes Liv out for errands, I happily hand over these disposables, too).

They’re called Broody Chick Diapers and they are fully compostable and completely biodegradable (GroVia makes a version as well). What a great combination! We roadtrip tested these and they receive an A+ for zero issues (you know, the usual issues that might make you nervous with a plastic-less bum hugger).

But – and that’s a big but – for that sweet earth friendly combination to work out, you must dispose of them in an equally biodegradable bag or your entire mission is foiled. See, what a lot of people forget is that when you wrap a diaper (or anything for that matter) in a traditional plastic grocery bag or trash bag, it’s now a plastic diaper ball encased in a material that won’t allow it to break down, even if the diaper is a compostable one.

That’s why when we travel I also tote around a small roll of biodegradable sacks (the same kind you probably use when you take your dog for a walk) so that I can seal up a dirty diaper and then dispose of it in a dumpster (rather than a trash can which is also lined in a plastic bag). When on long journeys, such as a recent week-long family trip to Sedona, I keep a 3 gallon BioBag in our bathroom which I slowly fill up with Broody Chick dipes – and then toss into the dumpster upon leaving. Just like you might throw away a diaper pail’s worth of normal disposable diapers.

If you’re a CD momma, then you know that a second option for traveling would be hybrid diapers, or diapers that allow you to use a cloth or disposable insert. My choice for a hybrid solution is a WeeHugger diaper cover plus a biodegradable gDiaper insert (gDiaper medium cloth inserts work great with these as well). PS cloth diapers make great swim diapers! So they get two points for their space in the suitcase.

But you kind of end up in the same dilemma – unless you’re tossing that biodegradable disposable insert into biodegradable bag (or flushing it or composting it), you’re thwarting all of your good intentions. The plus is the bags are readily available and super duper hardy – we’ve experience no breaking or splitting that you might expect from a cornstarch sack. Yes, degradation of an insert in a biodegradable bag in a landfill will take longer than composting, but it’s a whole lot quicker than the 500+ year alternative.

And as for the non-biodegradable disposable inserts, my thought is you might as well use a disposable diaper OR a cloth diaper and a small travel wet bag (to carry your dirty cloth diapers) since chances are you’ll be toting around a soiled/wet diaper cover by end of day (disposable inserts mean you can use the cover two-three times with a wet diaper before needing a new one, but the possibility of  a dirty cover is always there).

By the way, if you’re new to and interested in cloth diapering, check out Dirty Diaper Laundry’s AWESOME Cloth Diaper Finder tool to search through hundreds of diapers for your preferred style, size, material, closure and more. Such a great tool – wish I had known about it six months ago (Thanks, Elle, for sharing).

And there you have it – I tote a small wet bag and extra CDs when running errands around town, and Broody Chicks or WeeHuggers + gDiaper bio inserts and biodegradable bags when it comes to long trips for business or play!