John W replied: "There's a lot that can be done to reduce the energy required to washing the cloth diapers. For one, an efficient horizontal axis washer like a front loader and a gas dryer would save a lot of energy. Another would be to use a solar water heater. There are tax credits for the latter and they are much less expensive per unit of power then solar photovoltaics. I don't have the experience yet but I would imagine that the trick would be to scrape the solid waste out of the diaper into a waste container rather than letting it all go into the wash much as one would do with dishes and a dishwasher. I know that some people would get a separate smaller washer dryer setup for the nursery room in order to avoid using the same machine for both the regular wash and for the diapers so I think there is a reason to not mix the load with the regular wash. From what I understand, the primary advantage is cost, even using a diaper service where someone else washes the diapers and delivers clean diapers to you is less expensive then disposable. I've heard that sometimes the diapers from the diaper service aren't that clean because people don't scrape out the solid wastes and some make it through the wash and dry process. Disposable diapers are basically paper products, paper is just about the most energy intensive product to make, much more so than washing diapers. You do have to remember to never leave an unused front loader's door closed. The door must be left ajar and the detergent drawer slightly open so that mold and mildew doesn't start growing inside the washer. Top loaders don't have this problem because the doors are not water tight. You should leave the dryer door closed because there's a light inside the dryer that operates like the light inside the refrigerator. I've been trying to tell my girlfriend this but she continuously leaves the washer door closed and the dryer door ajar. Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, she rarely does the wash as she tends to be somewhat lazy when it comes to domestic chores. I need to find a good trade in program on girlfriends."