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| Could you live without toilet paper? |
Standing in front of the items, formerly known as trees, in the disposable paper product aisle of my grocery store, I spotted the 100% post-consumer variety of toilet tissue (98% of tissue is made from virgin trees). A pack of 24 rolls was $14.00 with tax. It made me pause.
I realized that I am part of a tiny portion of humans that use toilet paper, and it seemed like an outrageous expenditure both personally and environmentally. Millions of trees are cut annually to make fibre for a cleaning method that few use. But the few use a LOT - the bum tissue market is a multi-billion dollar per year enterprise. I decided it was time to change my routine and initiate Sheryl Crow's One Square Limit immediately.
I am adopting the ways of over a billion people on the planet, and have been using water and my left hand. I visited India several years ago for a few months so feel somewhat comfortable with this method. Still, after a lifetime of being exposed to the all pervasive advertisements for the softest toilet paper in the known universe, it is hard to overcome the programming. For the time being I will allow myself one square to dry off afterward.
Taking living with less to extremes, I calculated how long I could stretch my current tp stash. The package has 24 rolls, and each roll has 280 squares. In all there are 6720 squares. That means the pack should last for about 15 years. My patient partner in simple living will need some too, so including her allotment let's say we have about 5 years worth. We're good to 2015.
After that I am quitting toilet paper altogether. The period of weaning should make it a gentle transition to joining the majority of the human race that has never seen ultra-plush, four-ply, pillowy soft tissue. Or scratchy single ply for that matter. One small wipe for a man, one giant swipe for sustainability. Thanks, Sheryl.
Good Lord I couldn't believe my eyes- you are actually wiping yer bum with your hand and water..?
ReplyDeleteNow there's just one more reason I won't be shaking people's hands anymore. lol
And I'll be using *your* share of the friggin toilet paper too!
Loki
Loki - Wash with the left hand, shake with the right. Using water instead of paper is definitely a different way of doing things for a North American. It is common in many other countries I have visited, like Portugal, Turkey, Greece, Malaysia, and India. Now I am still automatically reaching for toilet paper, rather than grabbing water. But I like trees, and using water is much cleaner. Of course, a proper hand scrub with soap and hot water after is a must, but it is anyway. Still, in countries where this method is used it is usual practice to not eat with the left hand. I think after a while using water will feel as natural as toilet paper. And I promise there will always be 100% post-consumer content toilet paper at my house for guests. It's soft and more tree friendly.
ReplyDeleteI made reusable baby wipes out of old t shirts and receiving blankets last year. A few months ago I ran out of toilet paper and had my son grab me the tub of cloth wipes. That day a light bulb went off... If I can save the money and trash on my babies buts, why not my own? I just throw them into a bucket of bleach water and wash them with my cloth diapers.
ReplyDeleteBecky,
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent realization you have come to. Thank you so much for sharing - for most of us toilet paper is sacred. It takes a very brave person to do things differently, especially in this department.
Good-bye wasteful practices, hello not buying anything.
Thanks again for commenting, Becky.
I have a mom who grew up in hard depression times, they saved everything. foil balls was a big one saving the littlest bit the foil off a gum wrapper etc. and my grand mother remembers when toilet paper didnt exist- not for the common man anyway. She would be 106 this year God rest her soul. I asked her well what did you use then Gram? she said News paper. she said they would sit around and ball up the news paper and then smooth it out to make it soft and cut it into strips. So there ya go a new way to recycle . I t really disgusted my children when grandma would burst into the bathroom and grab the paper out of there little hands and count the sheets, telling them they had one too many! so embarASSing! I I forgive her, and vowed never to skimp on TP! I will do with out elsewhere in life happily BUTTT not it comes down to a clean BEHind-( I am laughing now!) When mom comes to my humble abode I tell her not to skimp that she can use all the stinking TP she desires. Until there is a ban on it or we run out
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteLike I said, "For some toilet paper is sacred", and switching is unlikely. All the same, using water is superior in so many ways, and is my preferred method. But we haven't given up toilet paper completely, yet.
I like the idea of crinkling the newspaper first to soften it, then cutting it into strips. That shows a resourcefulness that is sadly lacking in today's wasteful world.
Have you ever tried using water? Even the four-adjective toilet paper can't be as smooth or as effective at bottom cleaning as water.
I agree, though, that your poo paper policing grandmother might have gone a little too far.
I'm really trying to simplify and use and buy less, but I just don't think I can give up TP!
ReplyDeleteJeannie
Once you are used to one way or another it is difficult to change. I still use toilet paper, although less than I once did.
DeleteAs far as reducing ones impact, there are more effective ways of cutting back that have a larger benefit, like eating less meat, or driving less often.
100% post-consumer content TP is a greener alternative that is more gentle on our... forests.
Way to go, Becky!
ReplyDeleteIf you use the bum gun then you don't need to skimp on cleanliness as they are way cleaner than using toilet tissue. Why we've all been using it for so long is beyond me. Using a jet of water is by far superior in every way.
ReplyDeleteHelen - thank you for vouching for the effectiveness of using water.
DeleteMost of the population of the world uses some variation of this, and really, toilet paper users are the odd ones.
No problem Gregg. I encourage all my girlfriends to also use the bum gun. A few have have already installed one and are converted to using water. Others need more work. The bum gun also has an added benefit for us girls every month helping keep us fresh and clean through these difficult days. I still use a bit of TP to pad dry but thats it.
DeleteHelen, you are doing good work that will benefit the environment, and NBA readers.
DeleteFully agree Helen & Gregg, since i found the bum gun on a trip to Vietnam I realised how awesome it is to use a jet of water than toilet paper. I'll never go back to paper either. I love the bum gun!!
ReplyDeleteOur first experience with a water wash was around the Mediterranean, Portugal or Spain. Then, after spending a couple of months in India, we were permanent converts.
DeleteThanks for weighing in on the toilet tissue issue.
I been following your blog forever its amazing!! Im interested in this subject, but im confused on what you do and how you do it? It may be to gross to talk about lol, but I cant figure out what your doing, I found a few bum guns on ebay but they don't explain where they hook up to. Anyway, this blog has changed my life.
ReplyDeleteRod
Hey Rod,
DeleteYou are a brave man both for following this blog forever, and for asking a sensitive question about alternative toilet methods.
I don't know much about the Bum Gun - I just use a small water bottle. The water method is kind of like wiping, but using water instead of paper.
Pouring and wiping can be done from front or back if you are a guy, and should only be done from the front if you are a women. I use my right hand to pour water from behind and above while my left hand does the dirty work also from behind.
In the beginning you just have to experiment and "play around", if you can call it that. You will catch on pretty quickly, and will no doubt enjoy the cleaner, fresher feeling over using paper.
Good luck, if you try it, and let us know if you make the switch successfully. Thanks for the motivating feedback.