Nearly three billion nappies are thrown away in the UK every year, with 90 per cent ending up in landfill sites.
Three Rivers District Council in Hertfordshire is offering 80 towards the cost of laundry services for those using real cotton nappies.
Harrow Council is offering a grant of 60 to buy cotton nappies and parents in Cheshire can claim up to 25 towards the cost of cotton nappies or receive one month's free laundry service.
Meanwhile, organisations across London are encouraging health visitors, midwives, Sure Start staff and nurseries to change from disposable to cotton nappies.
Real Nappies London, a project run by the Women's Environmental Network, has launched an educational toolkit for health professionals highlighting the health and environmental benefits and the low cost to parents.
Hilary Vick, founder of Nappy Ever After, a not-for-profit company that provides a nappy laundry service for parents and nursery settings in London, is working with six local Sure Start areas to promote her service as an affordable alternative to disposables.
Nasso Christou, head of Archway Early Years Centre, began using real nappies in her setting two years ago in an effort to be more environmentally friendly. 'It's our policy for every child in our setting to wear them,' she said. 'The take-up at home has not been massive, but we find that it often speeds up the age that children become potty-trained.'