The Hardest Green Change I Have Made

Day 10 of the April Blog Challenge from Green Moms Network:

None of the green changes I have made have really been that difficult.  I am not a particularly green person, so nothing has really been that drastic, with the exception perhaps of deciding to cloth diaper my children.  If you would have asked me about cloth diapering six months ago, I would have said, "No way.  Absolutely not!"  But that feeling of resistance came from a lack of knowledge about cloth diapers rather than an understanding and rejection of them.

One night, as I was browsing the internet for anything baby-related, I came across a blog post about how to use cloth diapers that really opened my eyes and made me think this might not be as bad as I always thought.  My only concern was having enough time to wash the diapers since I plan to work full time.

The first thing I did was solicit advice from other moms.  I posted on Facebook to see if there were any other women out there who had tackled the cloth diapering while working full time scene and whether they had any recommendations for me.  I got a ton of advice from women who had never used cloth diapers at all, all of whom thought it was horrible idea.  But I also found that every woman who had used cloth diapers, whether working or not, really loved them.

I found some great ways to get free or cheap cloth diapers, and when I realized how much money I would be saving, it really became a no-brainer.  Even my husband, although initially a skeptic, supported me in deciding to use cloth diapers, especially when I told him how much money we can expect to save.  (Also, I think a big part of why he was so supportive was because I was so excited about the diapers.)

Telling other people did not always go over as well.  Some people thought - and still think - that cloth diapering is just too messy, difficult, time-consuming, or something else to be done.  But even those who think I'm a little nuts have just wished me luck.  No one has been too discouraging, although one of Jesse's co-workers bet him lunch that I won't last 30 days using cloth diapers.  I really think I should be the one who gets the free lunch since I will end up doing the majority of the diapers.

Since I still have 3 months to go until we will welcome our son, I cannot say for sure how difficult this change will end up being for me.  I do not anticipate it being all that bad, however, since I have done so much research and learned so much about different diapering styles and cleaning methods before it is actually time to use them.  Either way, I am committed to using cloth diapers, so even if it is initially difficult, I know that with time, I will be able to develop a good system that works with my schedule and my lifestyle.