Soft tissue…that’s the issue.
By Loren on Mar 10, 2009 in Uncategorized
How far are you willing to go to protect the environment? How about forgoing a little comfort in the private sanctum of your bathroom for the sake of old growth forests? The New York Times reports that the sale of super soft toilet tissue grew 40% in some markets last year. Americans seem to be involved in a love affair with brands like Cottonelle Ultra, Quilted Northern Ultra, and Charmin Ultra and it not only costs more at the store, it also has environmental costs. To make really soft fluffy tissue takes long fibers; the kind which come from living trees not recycled paper. Millions of trees, including some in old growth forests are used for the softer tissue, even though toilet tissue can be made from recycled material for a similar dollar cost. The unsustainable harvest of trees for toilet tissue is bad enough, but it gets worse. Making ultra soft tissue from trees instead of recycled material uses more water and more toxic bleach to make it white and fluffy. Recycled tissue has far less by-waste too. Ultra soft tissue creates almost its weight in waste which ends up in landfills.
The United States is the largest market worldwide for toilet paper and tissue made from 100 % recycled material makes up less than 2 % of sales for at-home use.
Sadly, even Americans who consider themselves as “concerned for the environment” are resistant to toilet tissue made from recycled paper.
So what is your take on the issue? Will you forgo a little comfort to save trees, water, a cleaner environment and landfill space? Is it your God given right as an American to demand comfort despite the costs to the environment and species harmed by logging in their habitat? Is this just another way environmental dictators are trying to limit your freedom, or is it time to consider every aspect of our life and how it impacts the earth?
This ought to be a lively debate so have at it.
Thanks for tuning in, logging on and speaking up.
Last week, Greenpeace issued a guide to help American consumers choose the best toilet tissues in terms of the environment. Here’s a link to the guide http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/campaigns/forests/tissueguide
I listened with great interest to your report on soft toilet paper. I must tell you Loren, that I have tried to use the “hard” toilet paper, I even used some that I think had small wood chips in it. Frankly it hurt my bum…
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Michael Connelly | Mar 11, 2009
Loren,
May I suggest you add the following website to your list of links on the right: http://www.lowimpactliving.com/
They have a wealth of excellent ideas for home, travel, garden, just about everything. They also have a article on toilet tissue.
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John Mustol | Mar 13, 2009
This reminds me of the cloth versus disposable diapers debate. Everyone was touting the environmental benefit of cloth diapers until someone did an analysis of the impact of washing and sterilizing all those cloth diapers. Turns out, cloth wasn’t so much better (and the diaper services went out of business). Maybe trying to get overwhelmed moms to give up disposables was just a losing battle and efforts were better directed to something more realistic.
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Jane | Mar 14, 2009
Hi Loren,
Mostly just wanted to thank you for the tour of your lovely home and the rain collection system the other day — it was great and a good inspiration!
As to the tp, I dislike the ultra-soft toilet papers anyway, since it’s tough to really get “clean” with them, so recycled isn’t too bad. ;^)
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donna | Mar 15, 2009
Hi Dear Loren,
It’s always a pleasure to read your blog.
I’m so glad you raised the toilet paper issue.
For months, I’ve been struggling with my own family and friends on this issue. So far, I’ve
obstinately refused to purchase anything but 100 percent recycled toilet paper. Your comments seal my position for which I’m very grateful.
Your argument that even some environmentalists
tend to ignore the harmful impact of these everyday items, which they use and overuse will hopefully, not fall on deaf ears.
Hopefully, more and more people will start using recycled paper towels, tissue, shopping bags,shoes,clothes etc. etc. etc.
Sincerely
Marjane
La Jolla
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Marjane | Apr 3, 2009
Thank you for the information about the impact of making and using soft tissue. I had no idea. I am fast approaching 70 and feel I have a right to a few comforts but not at a substantial cost to our precious envirionment. I am willing to learn, change my habits and hopefully take less from the earth.
Lori
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Lori | Apr 17, 2009
Howdy,
I’m of the opinion that becoming more environmentally friendly is going to be a relatively slow process and not a sudden schism from the old to the new. Most will make the transition in their lifetimes. Some won’t.
It took us all of human history to get to the point we are at now. While I don’t expect it’ll take that long to get humanity to impact our world less harshly than we are today, it will take decades before everyone who is going to get it finally gets it.
But until the marketers and manufacturers ‘get it’, things like soft versus sandpaper toilet paper isn’t a battle that will be won by logical appeals to people’s better nature. As long as people are willing to pay the money and the profits keep coming in, this will be an issue on all fronts.
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Phill | Apr 20, 2009
Thank you for this interesting article. Thanks to it and the links to the Greenpeace site, I feel more educated about this topic, something I was not aware of. I’m going to give the Trader Joe’s brands of paper towels and TP a try for now, which at least rank better than the brands I currently buy.
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Sue | Apr 21, 2009
GREAT information. I will now be on the look out for the brands that are suggested to be tree friendly. THANK YOU!
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Linda | May 4, 2009
I have used cloth dipes almost exclusively with my girls. And we carried on the cloth wipes tradition with the whole family. We keep recycled paper TP in the bathroom for guests and my husband. We girls all use nice soft clot…much softer than even the way processed stuff. Even husband is coming around after 7 years:)
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Linda | May 18, 2009
I believe I read where we have more trees now than we did a century ago. We have done a good job of replanting.
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Les | Jun 4, 2009