By Recycla
According to the rest of the world, the American desire for extra soft toilet paper is going to be the end of Planet Earth.
Yes, that’s right fellow Eco Warriors, using extra soft TP is worse than driving a Hummer. That’s because of the chemicals used in the manufacture of pulp and the fact that we’re leveling old-growth forests to wipe our butts. Recent data show almost all (98%) of the TP used in the U.S. comes from virgin fibers — compare that with 60% in Europe and Latin America. According to the New York Times, some toilet paper manufacturers are even cutting trees in old growth forests in Canada. Not only is this a terrible use of wood, cutting down those old trees increases the greenhouse effect, as those old trees spend their days absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Toilet paper that includes recycled content uses not only less paper, but also fewer chemicals. Also, whereas conventional toilet paper uses chlorine and other chemicals during the manufacturing process, eco TP uses less water and fewer chemicals.
According to Ideal Bite, the average American family of four goes through 240 rolls of toilet paper a year. You’re probably reading that and shaking your head, saying “Not possible.” Believe Recycla when she tells you that it IS possible. Recycla is in charge of purchasing TP for her personal family of four and she can attest that her family uses AT LEAST 10-15 rolls per month. So, multiply that times hundreds of thousands of families across the country and suddenly our collective toilet paper use does seem to be more important than we had previously thought and therefore our choices when we shop are more critical.
On a global scale, Americans consume far more TP than any other country — about three times more per person than the average European and 100 times more than in China.
Recycla is not going to lie to you. She has not had great success with finding an eco TP that doesn’t feel like sandpaper on her tush. Her husband and children complain about it and she’s not so fond of it herself. But, as much as she likes toilet paper that is as soft as the fur of a baby unicorn (VERY soft), she recognizes that she needs to give eco TP a try again.
If you’re interested in trying environmentally-friendly TP, click here for a review and click here for data on which ones are more eco-friendly than others. For hardcore Eco Warriors, you can always use reusable toilet paper.
Tell the Eco Women: Are you using conventional or eco TP? If not, are you going to make the switch? (Be honest!) If you’re using eco stuff, do you like it and should Recycla’s family try it?
We’ve used Seventh Generation TP with no complaints— I’ve never been big on buying the ultra soft stuff…I don’t think it (ahem) works as well.
The Seventh Gen facial tissue did not go over as well with the family— my husband complained that it felt like fiber board.
I’ve been giving this some thought and will be switching to the eco stuff. I’ll have to sneak it in gradually, but my family is used to being manipulated in my quest for a more sustainable way of living. They are NOT agreeable enough to switch to cloth; I won’t even mention it. And I’ve realized there’s an option I haven’t seen discussed: using less. I’ve been making a concerted effort to use fewer squares when possible, and it is a no brainer.
I’ve used the recycled stuff for years. But my mom always bought Scott tissue – which is basically cardboard – while I was growing up. Most of the recycled stuff is nicer than that! : )
I find the bigger challenge here in the sticks is finding a store that consistently carries the recycled stuff.
We don’t use the super soft TP and now after reading this, I too, think it’s time to change over to an environmentally friendly one.
We love 7th Generation and 365 (whole foods) brands. No cuts on my bum yet
We use middling soft conventional – not the ubersoft. We use a lot of it in the summer when school is out. I’m home, teen is home more, college kid is home…..sigh. We need to try more eco-TPs.
Wait a minute–they MAKE an eco tp? You mean I can quit collecting leaves and old catalog pages? Praise be!