[Green Mum]

Combat Climate Change with Real Nappies

Green Mums will be supporting the 12th annual Real Nappy Week from April 21st – 27th. This year the promotional week, co-ordinated by the Real Nappy Campaign, will be concentrating on how parents can help to combat climate change by using Real Nappies.

The message is clear, providing parents follow simple guidelines when using real nappies, there can be significant gains for the environment both in reduced greenhouse gases and household waste sent to landfill or incineration.

The UK currently throws away around 3 billion disposable nappies every year. They are estimated to weigh 690,000 tonnes most of which are landfilled where they generate methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

Sally Gordon, spokesperson for the Real Nappy Campaign said: "We are delighted to be able to reassure parents that by using washable nappies in the recommended way they can reduce their impact on global warming and energy use as we are aware that these are key issues for families. In addition Real Nappy Week gives us the opportunity to promote the additional benefits of real nappies including their cost savings, natural fabrics and the choice they represent for parents."

Organisations across the country will be joining together to celebrate the week with hundreds of events such as fashion shows, nappicino coffee mornings and teddy toddles. Local retailers such as Green Mums will be supporting the week alongside national brands such as Mothercare and John Lewis.

Green Mums is an online store, run by Tracy Dixon. Tracy offers cloth nappy advice to new or expectant parents, cloth nappy demos in the Plymouth area and has a range of cloth nappies available for purchase via www.greenmums.co.uk.

Green Mums will be joining in the activity by hosting a Napichino at Dell Children’s Centre, Blandford Road Plymouth. Plymouth’s waste minimisation officer Laura Schamotta will be attending. Parents are invited to come along between 10.30 am and 12.30 pm on Wednesday 23rd April, to learn more about real nappies and how they can help combat climate change.

For further information contact Tracy Dixon on 01752 661835. To find out more about Real Nappy Week or the Real Nappy Campaign contact Rebecca Rapson, Real Nappy Campaign, 0845 850 0606.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. An Environment Agency report, in 2005, looked at the relative environmental impacts of both real nappies and disposables. The report confirmed that parents using real nappies are able to save waste. In addition the report indicated that if parents were to follow guidelines recommended by the Real Nappy Campaign and manufacturers their global warming impact would be less than when using disposables. 'The report’s overall conclusion that there is little overall difference in the environmental impact of real nappies and disposables was based on the report

1. ’s estimates of the behaviour of a sample of real nappy users. Criticism of the validity of the sample used for this purpose led to an announcement by the Environment Agency that a further report would be produced to show the impact of a range of behaviours including following the recommendations endorsed by the Real Nappy Campaign, WEN and the nappy manufacturers for the use of real nappies. This report is expected to be published shortly.
2. Energy use: Parents are recommended to wash soiled nappies in full loads at 60oC using low energy rated washing machines, allowing them to dry naturally wherever possible. Washable nappies do not need to be soaked prior to washing and do not need ironing.
3. Cost: Home laundered nappies could save parents up to £500 on the cost of keeping a baby in nappies.
4. Waste: Nearly three billion disposable nappies are thrown away in the UK every year creating 690,000 tons of nappy waste.
5. The Real Nappy Campaign is a not-for-profit company administered by Rezolve Kernow with initial membership from LARAC, Rezolve Kernow, the Nappy Alliance, WEN and WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme).

LARAC is the Local Authority Advisory Committee which represents local authority recycling officers within the UK.
ReZolve Kernow is a not for profit organisation encouraging sustainability, with a focus on waste and material resource use. www.rezolve.org.uk
Women's Environmental Network is the only organisation in the UK working consistently for women and the environment. www.wen.org.uk
WRAP works in partnership to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment. www.wrap.org.uk