by Susan Verver, CA
Finally! It is agreed by all
objective sources that "disposable" diapers are
the WORST environmental choice. These objective sources
include Environment Canada, The Recycling Councils of Ontario and
B.C., the BC Medical Association, The Society Promoting
Environmental Conservation (SPEC), The World-wide Home
Environmentalists' Network (WHEN), The David Suzuki
Foundation, the provincial governments of B.C. and Manitoba (who
have both imposed a green tax on "disposable" diapers
in the form of PST), and many other organizations.
Why do all these organizations promote the
use of cloth diapers over "disposables"? They
have no financial interest in the matter. They are, in fact, only
interested in THE TRUTH. These groups are interested in
improving the environment for the benefit of living things and
future generations of living things. This is a very noble, real
and true pursuit. Why would they deceive or misinform us?
Answer: They wouldn't!
So then, why is there so much confusion about this issue?
Well, in 1989, in response to a major trend of consumers
switching to cloth diapers, Proctor & Gamble decided to
launch a multi-million dollar international advertising campaign.
It was designed to cloud the issues and relieve the guilt of
"disposable" diaper users. This campaign was
wildly successful. Even though P&G was found guilty of false
and misleading advertising as a result, they did regain their
market share as misinformed consumers returned to
"disposables"
in droves.
P&G has stopped most of this very dubious advertising now,
and consumers are now starting to learn that they were misled,
especially as they realize that the objective environmental
groups still insist that "disposables" are BY
FAR the worst environmental choice in diapers. David Suzuki
wrote to BC's Minister of Environment in March, 1994 saying that,
"In my view, . . . ("disposable" diapers) are
an eco-obscenity - they have no real justification save profit
(of corporations)."
SUGGESTED READING:
- Whitewash: Exposing the Health and Environmental
Dangers of Women's Sanitary products and Disposable
Diapers by Liz Armstrong and Adrienne Scott.
- Soap Opera - The Inside Story of Proctor & Gamble
by Alecia Swasy of the Wall Street Journal (New
release from Random House)
This article compliments of Born to Love
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