This is an accusation made by an interviewee in the new French documentary about the nappy debate – Couchorama. What she says is that if we return to washable nappies the work of washing will fall on women.
It’s true that when you have children your laundry pile grows. And It continues to grow as they get bigger. It isn’t just the clothes – in all different fabrics that require different wash cycles, it’s also the sheets, the duvet covers and the towels that are used once and then left on the floor. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but children are a lot of work and don’t let anyone try to tell you otherwise.
The solution: either don’t have kids or get your partner to load and unload the washing machine. It’s not disposable nappies that have liberated women, it’s the washing machine and also the defeminisation of household chores and childcare. Men can do that work just as well as women, if they are shown how to do it eg separate loads for lights and darks, rinse wool at same temperature as you wash it. It’s really not that hard.
So no, I don’t accept that women who love fluff are turning the clock back and condemning new mums to a life of drudgery. We are the truly modern mothers who believe in working towards both equality and low impact households.
Want to see the film? To find out about next screening visit the RNfL events diary.
Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Friday, 20 April 2012
Who should pay for the landfill tax on disposable nappies?
Landfill tax according to HM Revenue and Customs web site is a tax on the disposal of waste. It aims to encourage waste producers to produce less waste.
Most disposable nappy waste from households is sent to landfill. Currently landfill tax is based on weight and is charged at £56 per tonne rising to £72 in April 2013 and £80 in 2014. The average baby wearing disposable nappies (4-6,000, from birth to two and a half years) produces 874kg of nappy waste ie nearly a tonne.
According to new french documentary Couchorama the UK sends 850,000 tonnes of nappy waste to landfill every year. So in 2012 that will be £47.6 million landfill tax (at £56 per tonne).
The question is, who are the 'waste producers' that pay the landfill tax on nappy waste? In the case of other products that are taxed to reduce consumption and pay for costs of consumption eg alcohol, tobacco and petrol it is the consumer who pays ie when you buy alcohol, cigarettes fuel for your SUV you pay tax to the government, supposedly to deter you from buying so much of the offending product.
However, in the case of disposable nappies it is every UK tax payer that pays. The cost of landfill tax on nappy waste is shared by all of us, even if we don't produce any nappy waste.
SO WHO SHOULD PAY THE GOVERNMENT THE LANDFILL TAX ON DISPOSABLE NAPPY WASTE?
a) Huge multinational companies,
Procter & Gamble/P&G (Pampers) and Kimberley Clark (Huggies)
that have 85% of disposable nappy market worldwide?
(A market worth in excess of US$ 10 billion)
b) Huge supermarket chains that sell them?
(And use them as loss leader to lure sleep deprived shoppers into their stores) Buy one for £1, two for £3. Gotcha!
c) Customer who buys disposable nappies?
(because they don't know that modern washable nappies save them money and are easy to use)
d) Bounty, the registered 'charity' that markets free promotional disposable nappies (amongst other products that no one needs) to every expectant mother in the UK?
e) Every tax payer in the country, whether or not they have ever put their child in a disposable nappy?
- that includes pensioners who definitely won't have as they were only invented 30 years ago
f) Other?
Related issues:
How much corporation tax do P&G and Kimberley Clark pay UK Government. Does anyone know?
Who pays for the Knowaste nappy recycling experiment?
What is the cost of cleaning up the landfill leachate after a landfill is closed?
Most disposable nappy waste from households is sent to landfill. Currently landfill tax is based on weight and is charged at £56 per tonne rising to £72 in April 2013 and £80 in 2014. The average baby wearing disposable nappies (4-6,000, from birth to two and a half years) produces 874kg of nappy waste ie nearly a tonne.
According to new french documentary Couchorama the UK sends 850,000 tonnes of nappy waste to landfill every year. So in 2012 that will be £47.6 million landfill tax (at £56 per tonne).
The question is, who are the 'waste producers' that pay the landfill tax on nappy waste? In the case of other products that are taxed to reduce consumption and pay for costs of consumption eg alcohol, tobacco and petrol it is the consumer who pays ie when you buy alcohol, cigarettes fuel for your SUV you pay tax to the government, supposedly to deter you from buying so much of the offending product.
However, in the case of disposable nappies it is every UK tax payer that pays. The cost of landfill tax on nappy waste is shared by all of us, even if we don't produce any nappy waste.
SO WHO SHOULD PAY THE GOVERNMENT THE LANDFILL TAX ON DISPOSABLE NAPPY WASTE?
a) Huge multinational companies,
Procter & Gamble/P&G (Pampers) and Kimberley Clark (Huggies)
that have 85% of disposable nappy market worldwide?
(A market worth in excess of US$ 10 billion)
b) Huge supermarket chains that sell them?
(And use them as loss leader to lure sleep deprived shoppers into their stores) Buy one for £1, two for £3. Gotcha!
c) Customer who buys disposable nappies?
(because they don't know that modern washable nappies save them money and are easy to use)
d) Bounty, the registered 'charity' that markets free promotional disposable nappies (amongst other products that no one needs) to every expectant mother in the UK?
e) Every tax payer in the country, whether or not they have ever put their child in a disposable nappy?
- that includes pensioners who definitely won't have as they were only invented 30 years ago
f) Other?
Related issues:
How much corporation tax do P&G and Kimberley Clark pay UK Government. Does anyone know?
Who pays for the Knowaste nappy recycling experiment?
What is the cost of cleaning up the landfill leachate after a landfill is closed?
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
European Week for Waste Reduction
Just wanted to remind you that EWWR is fast approaching: 21-27 November 2011. Wondering whether you may want to offer some special offers or hold an event in London. Feel free to Tweet and publicise on Facebook.
Monday, 19 September 2011
Defra Rewards and Recognition Grants
Just wanted to let you know that I did put an application into Defra’s Rewards and Recogntion scheme about nappies but it has been rejected. I don’t think I ever expected Defra to do it but I wanted to use the opportunity to engage with them about the issue of the environmental impacts of washing nappies vs disposables. I did get some pretty interesting insights into their prejudices – the officer I spoke to on the phone talked about her experience of using washable nappies. She said the sanitiser she used in the washing machine damaged the rubber seal – I think that was about 30 years ago. Will there ever be an end to the reasons not to promote washable nappies? It seems to me there's a certain generation that fail to appreciate that the cloth nappy industry has moved on and developed new products. Do you know of any nappy companies or local authorities that put in research projects for this grant? Let us know. I’m sorry that leaving comments on this blog is a chore, but please try several times and it should let you eventually.
I’ve just written on the RNfL blog on the spill over benefits of using real nappies. In environmental circles this is the holy grail of behaviour change so please tweet and spread as far and wide as you can. As you will see it’s inspired by my fury about P&G’s FutureFriendly campaign that has been sponsored by Waste Watch, Water Wise and the Energy Saving Trust. Who are these NGOs? Are their people qualified? Well some people are clearly on the pay role. Search “waste watch trustee + P&G consultant” and “water wise + P&G sponsorship”. It’s just good to know what we’re up against.
George Monbiot is saying something similar in this article about thinktanks being PR companies working for big corporates. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/12/thinktanks-crushing-democracy-pr-agenices
And if we didn't have enough challenges already, did you see this?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/sep/12/nappy-recycling-plant
Please don't be depressed about all this. We are doing the right thing and more and more people are choosing to use real nappies. I truly believe we are winning despite the huge power of the corporates.
I’ve just written on the RNfL blog on the spill over benefits of using real nappies. In environmental circles this is the holy grail of behaviour change so please tweet and spread as far and wide as you can. As you will see it’s inspired by my fury about P&G’s FutureFriendly campaign that has been sponsored by Waste Watch, Water Wise and the Energy Saving Trust. Who are these NGOs? Are their people qualified? Well some people are clearly on the pay role. Search “waste watch trustee + P&G consultant” and “water wise + P&G sponsorship”. It’s just good to know what we’re up against.
George Monbiot is saying something similar in this article about thinktanks being PR companies working for big corporates. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/12/thinktanks-crushing-democracy-pr-agenices
And if we didn't have enough challenges already, did you see this?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/sep/12/nappy-recycling-plant
Please don't be depressed about all this. We are doing the right thing and more and more people are choosing to use real nappies. I truly believe we are winning despite the huge power of the corporates.
Friday, 8 July 2011
Loss aversion
In case you missed my email about this important message on loss aversion:
http://greenlivingblog.org.uk/2011/05/31/how-to-use-loss-aversion-properly/
Evidently we should be saying 'Don't waste money on disposables' rather than 'Real nappies save you money'.
Your thoughts?
http://greenlivingblog.org.uk/2011/05/31/how-to-use-loss-aversion-properly/
Evidently we should be saying 'Don't waste money on disposables' rather than 'Real nappies save you money'.
Your thoughts?
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Defra's Waste Review
Here at RNfL we appreciate the aim of Defra's recent Waste Review to set the UK on the path towards a zero waste economy. But we're surprised that although real nappies are the zero-waste alternative to 'disposable' nappies they don't appear to be on Defra's agenda. This is because, I've just found out, Defra still says; how people wash real nappies is a problem.
It’s been quite a shock to me actually. I know the Daily Mail still says 'reusables no better for tne environment than disposables’, but I thought Defra would have been aware that most real nappies these days are actually destroyed by washing at high temperatures.
So I see it as my job to do something about this and there is an opportunity. As part of the waste review Defra announced an ‘Innovative reward and recognition scheme’. This is an opportunity for Real Nappies for London to engage with Defra directly and make it clear that these days it's only a minority of people that boil and/or tumble-dry nappies.
Hopefully we can also ensure that Defra finds out how hard the real nappy industry has worked to develop eco-friendly products and raise awareness of the impacts of washing at high temperature and using environmentally damaging detergents - and most importantly, suggesting effective, environmentally friendly alternatives eg soap nuts, tea tree oil, white vinegar.
The real nappy industry has done so much in this area and it is disappointing that we dont appear to be appreciated for a) reducing waste and b) the spillover behaviour change we achieve – not just reducing waste in other areas, but also helping parents become more self-reliant and confident and thus less dependent on rubbish products that are a waste of money and unnecessary.
The UK needs to be a place where the real nappy industry can survive (in this economic climate thrive may be too ambitious) or people will have no alternative to disposable nappies - as was the case when my first baby was born and the disposable nappy industry, at least in London had virtually 100% market share.
Do you have any ideas of how we can enlighten Defra? Or do we need to? Is it a waste of time and energy? Should we just be concentrating on doing what we're doing? Raising awareness of alternatives to disposables and getting people using real nappies - and of course, letting people know they can be washed at low-temperature and line-dried.
It’s been quite a shock to me actually. I know the Daily Mail still says 'reusables no better for tne environment than disposables’, but I thought Defra would have been aware that most real nappies these days are actually destroyed by washing at high temperatures.
So I see it as my job to do something about this and there is an opportunity. As part of the waste review Defra announced an ‘Innovative reward and recognition scheme’. This is an opportunity for Real Nappies for London to engage with Defra directly and make it clear that these days it's only a minority of people that boil and/or tumble-dry nappies.
Hopefully we can also ensure that Defra finds out how hard the real nappy industry has worked to develop eco-friendly products and raise awareness of the impacts of washing at high temperature and using environmentally damaging detergents - and most importantly, suggesting effective, environmentally friendly alternatives eg soap nuts, tea tree oil, white vinegar.
The real nappy industry has done so much in this area and it is disappointing that we dont appear to be appreciated for a) reducing waste and b) the spillover behaviour change we achieve – not just reducing waste in other areas, but also helping parents become more self-reliant and confident and thus less dependent on rubbish products that are a waste of money and unnecessary.
The UK needs to be a place where the real nappy industry can survive (in this economic climate thrive may be too ambitious) or people will have no alternative to disposable nappies - as was the case when my first baby was born and the disposable nappy industry, at least in London had virtually 100% market share.
Do you have any ideas of how we can enlighten Defra? Or do we need to? Is it a waste of time and energy? Should we just be concentrating on doing what we're doing? Raising awareness of alternatives to disposables and getting people using real nappies - and of course, letting people know they can be washed at low-temperature and line-dried.
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