There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick links helpful:
We continued our paper theme last week and asked that no more than 6 squares of toilet paper be used at one time. While the challenged seemed easy, I was surprised by how negligent I had become, simply pulling off a handful of sheets ... way more than needed. So this exercise was a reminder that living green often means keeping a tight rein on our actions.
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. Here's what they had to say:
Lisa accepted the challenged and shared this, "It's funny, I can do cloth diapers all day - but family cloth? Ummmmm..... I will try using 6 or less pieces of toilet paper/use!" In Toilet Troubles – Use Less Toilet Paper? she asks the question, "How are we using all this toilet paper?" The answers might surprise you. She also shares whether or not she was able to limit her use. What do you think ... was she successful?
Clare wrote "Reduce Paper Towels – Small Change, Big Difference". This post has everything ... there's a funny video that will have you folding and shaking ... a surprise gift (everyone gets one) ... and a lot of information about reducing paper towel use. I picked up some new facts and got my gift. Hurry over to get yours!
Toilets, restrooms, bidets, sheep, dags ... and fake bacon. Oh yeah ... sounds like an Argentum Vulgaris Original! Check out "Change the world Wednesday – 24th" where you'll learn, among other things, what AV uses instead of toilet paper.
Alicia started out the week admitting that she uses more toilet paper than she should. Her daughter, however, has perfected this task and only uses three squares ... wow ... an Eco-superstar! Later in the week, Alicia dropped by with an update: "I just wanted to say that I have been able to use six squares no problem! I thought that it was going to be a difficult challenge but once you do it a few times it comes pretty easy!" WhooHoo!
Alaiyo admits that giving up paper towels completely is hard in her family: "It's one of the last wasteful things we have to banish from our lives. Your post today has renewed my resolve to give them up. Thanks!"
This edition of "Shopping Charity" included some of your posts. Curious if yours was included? Check it out!
On Twitter, @givetreegifts shared some great tips and ideas:
- Paper Towel Usage â?? How to Reduce or Eliminate ow.ly/kmwXn
- UC Santa Cruz Sustainability Office: Cowell College to Go Paper Towel-Less ow.ly/kmx8x
- Going Green @ Haverford » Blog Archive » Student body votes to eliminate paper towels in dorm bathrooms. ow.ly/kmxal
- The Green Phone Booth: Taking the plunge...and getting rid of paper towels. ow.ly/kmxeQ
- Eliminating Waste With Bamboo Paper Towels and Scottâ??s Tube-Free TP ow.ly/kmxkC
- Green Ways To Get Rid Of Paper Towels | LIVESTRONG.COM ow.ly/kmxov
- Kick your paper towel habit & SAVE UP TO $1000 in 5 years! ow.ly/kmxr9
- We ditched paper towel habit by using cloth. Good rags used for normal messes R laundered. Worn rags for mega gross messes R tossed
- Kick your paper towel habit & SAVE UP TO $1000 in 5 years! ow.ly/kmxr9
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who share our challenges on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I highly recommend following them ... they have a lot of great things to say. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
Green living is often about the smallest things ... like a sheet of toilet paper. If we take a bit more, it doesn't seem like such a big deal. But, consider this ... according to Charmin, consumers use an average of 20,805 sheets per person per year. That's a lot of paper! Using less will save natural resources and reduce the burden on treatment plants. It's a small thing with a big impact.
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share feature at the bottom of this post.
This Week's Challenge:
Have you heard about the "Live Below the Line" challenge? The idea is to feed yourself on no more than $1.50 per day. It "is a campaign that's challenging the way people in the US think about poverty - and making a huge difference." You can read more at https://www.livebelowtheline.com/us. As I read through the website, it occurred to me that it not only speaks to poverty but raises awareness on waste and our spending habits ... both of which affect the world we live in. So ... of course ... that means a challenge. Here you go ...
This week, feed yourself and your family on no more than $1.50 (or the equivalent in your currency) per day per person. Focus on the plight of individuals who live below the poverty line as well as how our food choices can help others and the environment. Pay close attention to eliminating waste and finding nutritional, Eco-friendly ways to stretch your budget.
So what do you think? Are you ready to get creative with your food dollar?
As always ...
WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!