Reducing waste: Kicking the Paper Towel Habit

Paper towel usage is very common in households around the world. Everyone loves them! They are convenient and easy to grab when needing to clean up a mess, wipe off a sticky child, or clean up a pet mess. Paper towels are also very wasteful as they cannot be reused. Learning to kick the habit is often easier than people think it will be, as long as you are prepared for it and plan ahead.

Paper Towel Facts

In order to make one ton worth of paper towels, 17 trees are cut down. More than 20,000 gallons of water is used and polluted when creating one ton of paper towels. You may think that isn’t a lot of trees, but have you thought about your usage of paper towels? Here in the United States, more than 13 BILLION pounds of paper towels are used. Paper towels are not able to be recycled as they are created from the paper pulp from other paper products created and often use other recycled paper to create it.

As paper towels decompose, they release methane gas. This contributes to global warming, especially since the gases are generally trapped inside plastic bags, creating more concerns. The resources required to make paper towels also leads to increased pollution to the environment as well as CO2 being released. 

How to reduce waste 

If you’re looking for ways to reduce your waste and save the environment, or even cut down on your budget costs, there are simple steps to take. Having a plan and moving forward will cause less stress than simply deciding you’re just not going to buy paper towels anymore. I made the decision to eliminate paper towels completely from our house when moving and decided no paper towels would be brought in.

In order to prepare for that, I made sure I had other ways to clean up messes. I have a young son and two dogs, messes are a way of life. For cleaning, I have towels and rags at the ready to clean up a mess. I keep a caddy under the kitchen sink with them ready to grab. They can get messy and nasty and it won’t bother me that they are no longer “pretty”.

For normal kitchen clean-ups, wiping hands, cleaning dishes, and the like, I have small dish rags. Most are crocheted that I own but also made sure to purchase bar-style rags for additional messes. When we are eating, instead of reaching for paper napkins or paper towels, I keep a bin of cloth napkins on the cart by the table for easy access. That is the biggest trick, making sure you have options within easy reach and making sure your family members know what they can use when they need to clean up. I also keep big, cheap beach towels on hand for bigger messes that we may encounter.

Added Work

Many people ask if it adds extra work to wash all these rags and towels. Or say that the water usage needed to clean them is just as bad for the environment. I am already washing clothes for my family. Simply toss them into the washer when used and add a load of clothes you’re normally washing when needed. I never do a cycle without a full load in order to reduce water waste used for multiple small loads. Many people keep a bin nearby to toss used rags in and then add them all to their wash when they fill it up. Finding what works for you and your family is what will create a lasting impact on your paper towel reduction.

Others really like single-use wet wipes for cleaning. I felt those were not cost-effective long ago and ditched them. However, for many people, this is a way of life and cutting them out is difficult. To overcome this one, take bar cloths and keep them in a bowl filled with a simple cleaning solution. Make sure they are wet but not soaking in liquid in order for easy access for cleanups. Again, finding what works for you and your family is the answer!

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Other ways to reduce paper towel use

In addition to cloth options, there are reusable disposable options. What does this mean? Bamboo towels can be rinsed out and reused many times before needing to be tossed. Bamboo grows and is harvested at a much faster rate than trees, making them a more sustainable option. Many bamboo products can be composted after the end of their lives. However, some bamboo paper towels contain rayon also well which makes them unable to be composted. Be sure to check this when purchasing your paper towel alternatives. 

Swedish sponge cloths are becoming another kitchen staple for many looking to reduce their paper towel waste use. They create them with cellulose cotton, making them 100% compostable at the end of their life. Sponge cloths can replace roughly 17 rolls of paper towels. Swedish cloths are considered anti-bacterial and can be washed up to 200 cycles! Make sure you pay attention to the care instructions on the ones you purchase. This will ensure a long life for your cloths!

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