Why wait till the baby is 2 1/2 to potty train them? They can be trained much earlier, and you could save about half the energy, either of cloth or disposables.

Ah, yes. The diaper companies, just like the formula companies have brainwashed us into believing that they know best. Years of doctor testimonials have us believing that 4 year olds in Pampers are okey dokey. Parents will do anything to make their lives seem immediately easier. Of course, a recalcitrant 5 year old in poop filled pull-ups is the "convenient" result of putting off potty training until junior is "ready".

Exactly. Green Lantern once again overlooks the obvious.

Usually the answer to these "A or B?" conundrums is "C" - do something different instead of trying to measure the gnat's eyebrow. Case in point - wool vs. cotton sweaters. Answer? Buy fewer new clothes, re-use more old ones.

Indeed. In China, it is a national priority to potty train all infants by the age of 12 months. This results a reduction of diaper use by more than half. The loads only get bigger after their first birthday.

Since EVERYBODY does it in most developing countries, it can't be that hard, or to put it another way, the only reason we don't do it is because we're lazy and stupid. But you do need to do something that Westerners (esp. Americans) are bad at: be attuned to your child's needs.

So take that kid to the bathroom with you and don't be afraid of misses. When you have small children, your attitude needs to be, "What's a little feces in the family."