We have done much to this planet we inhabit. We have changed it quite a bit, and some of it is great. We have produced incredible works of art and buildings. Entire ecosystems have come to life in certain spots. If we humans work as stewards of nature we can achieve great things.
We have also done terrible things. Pollution of all kinds plagues many spots in the world. Global warming and deforestation are a big problem too. These are just a few of the things we need to improve on as a global society if we expect to continue living on Earth for the next three thousand years.
To make this shift takes a lot of effort. It has to be done in an organized way. It is not enough for governments to do this though. We all have a part to play. Biodegradable materials have been around for a while now, but recently they have come to prominence. This is because our understanding of the processes needed to produce them has improved a lot.
As we get better at making biodegradable things we start to find more and more of those in the market. You can now find a lot of different biodegradable products, and diapers are on that list. Let’s take a look at this topic and find out everything we can about the issue.
Diapers
Diapers are not an unimportant subject. If you are a parent you know that good diapers make a huge difference. Of course, in the comfort of your baby. A good diaper will keep your baby dry for longer. This means that the little one will experience less discomfort and rashes. This translates directly into their mood, so it is a big deal. Especially at a time when you are sleep deprived and tired. Every minute counts. Good diapers can make a difference with this. They will also keep your baby’s skin in better shape.
The other important thing about good diapers is that they can protect you from having to clean up horrible messes. A good diaper will hold everything so that it does not escape. You can easily clean your baby this way. If you ever used a lower-quality diaper you know what we mean. If you haven’t you can count yourself lucky and use your imagination.
Biodegradable materials
What does it mean exactly for a material to be biodegradable? It means that, if left to decompose it will return to nature.
There are some kinds of materials that will take years to be decomposed and return to their constituent elements. They will in many cases leave harmful compounds on the soil. Some biodegradable materials must undergo a process to be reabsorbed by nature, others can do it more naturally. These kinds of materials can become compost, for example. The process will often be natural and very fast. They will react as a plant would, normally.
Regular diapers
Regular single-use diapers are expensive. In addition to that, they are also not biodegradable. They can take up to 500 years to return to nature. They will spend that time as waste, which is terrible for the environment. You cannot recycle diapers either. So this is a horrible situation that needs correcting. They are extremely useful, though. So a solution needs to come into place that takes care of the needs of parents and babies, while at the same time not having such a strong negative impact on the environment. We will now talk about one of the alternatives.
Compostable Diapers
There are a few of these being sold at the moment. They are not as eco-friendly as you might think from their marketing campaigns. They are a bit better than their regular competitors, though. If sent to a composting facility they can become compost so return to the soil without impact. This is in a few cases though, and not all of the brands offer this. You will find that if they are not sent to such a facility their impact on the environment is only slightly better than the regular alternative.
As we mentioned above this kind of diaper will have a much smaller impact on the environment if processed at a composting plant. They will often take about three months to return to the soil in this fashion. They will take the same time that a regular diaper takes if they are not taken to one of these facilities.
What you will find with any of these brands is that they are often made with a lot fewer chemicals, and are much more organic. That does not make them biodegradable, but they are much more vegan-friendly. They do away with some of the worst compounds found in diapers. That is a good thing.
Are they effective?
Before making the switch you will have to do some research online. Not all brands are as effective. Some of them provide the protection you are used to, while others are not nearly as good as the competition. The most prominent brands out there all share a good quality standard though, just be sure to check online reviews and the label of the diapers themselves.
Conclusion
It is a good thing that we are starting to see alternatives. Helping the environment is key, but we cannot expect to do it if the eco-friendly alternatives are impossible to get. If they are available and effective people will often take the extra effort to use them. This, in turn, helps promote this kind of practice and will ensure better products in the long run. Technology should continue to improve on this topic. We can expect better and better things soon.