K.,
There is a great local moms list called alternamamas on yahoogroups. You might want to check it out! I know lots of the moms are very enviro conscious and use g-diapers and others. Many on the list have recently transitioned away from full-time disposables to eco-friendly varieties, cloth, and EC.
Personally, out of 5 kids I have 2 in diapers full-time and 1 in diapers at night. I use cloth mostly with my youngest, unless we are sick, but she also spend a large portion of time diaperless. I have a baby bjorn little potty and a soft insert for the regular toilet, and try to take her to pee at least 4-5 times a day- she is 13 months. My 5 yo has spina bifida and can't control his bladder and bowels, so he wears pull-ups. I'd like to have him in cloth too, but I don't have energy enough to change him frequently enough right now, plus to invest in covers in his size. My 3 yo has been potty trained for awhile, but started wetting the bed recently, so now he wears his brothers pull-ups at night.
You don't have to do all cloth, you can use both. Lots of people find it more convenient to use cloth only when they are home, or only after baby's morning poop, or what have you. 1 extra load of laundry a day would cover cloth diapers for two in cloth full-time- if the covers are fitted properly and don't leak. Mothersville is a local store with high quality prefolds and fuzzi bunz and bummi covers available at good prices. I use unscented detergent for all my laundry and double rinse. Unless baby is eating solids you don't even have to rinse poop into the toilet, just launder within 24 hours. I have the older kids fold and put away the laundry so all I have to do is sort and start. 6 is not too young to start learning to fold diapers and where they go!
Good luck on your decision!