• Home
  • Energy
  • Sustainability
  • Climate Change
    • Eco Editorial
  • Environment
    • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Pollution
      • Global Warming
      • Population Explosion
      • Renewable Energy
      • Species Extinction
      • Sustainable Management of Resources
    • Animals
    • Pollution
    • Environmental Policy
  • Green Technology
    • Green Tips
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Energy
  • Sustainability
  • Climate Change
    • Eco Editorial
  • Environment
    • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Pollution
      • Global Warming
      • Population Explosion
      • Renewable Energy
      • Species Extinction
      • Sustainable Management of Resources
    • Animals
    • Pollution
    • Environmental Policy
  • Green Technology
    • Green Tips
  • Contact Us
An Ethical Guide to Toilet Paper
August 11, 2021

toilet paper

Before 2020, few of us gave much serious thought to toilet paper. It came from the supermarket, went down the toilet, and that was that. With last year’s lockdowns, however, it somehow became the most highly sought-after and frequently sold-out household staple. Although the dreaded TP drought never came, the panic continued for months. People turned up early at their local Woolworths and waited in long lines at supermarkets to buy toilet paper in bulk.

One of the upshots of this was that people finally started to realise just how much toilet paper they actually use. It is estimated that the average Australian goes through around 88 rolls of toilet paper per year, or just under two rolls per week. If you’re at all conscious of your impact on the environment, that might have given you pause for thought.

Toilet Paper’s Role in Deforestation

Most toilet paper, like most regular paper, is made from trees, and healthy tree life is one of the central, indispensable conditions to the continued survival of life on earth. Trees perform a vital task in storing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. When they are cut down, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

This isn’t the only way that trees support life. Forests provide a home for a diverse array of wildlife: creatures like birds, monkeys, deer, and innumerable species of insects that have adapted over millions of years to be perfectly suited to their environment. Even a seemingly small change, like the disappearance of a particular species of butterfly, can wreak havoc.

The logging industry is one of the most environmentally destructive forces humans have unleashed on our planet. Despite our general acknowledgment of this fact and recent movement by some governments towards more sustainable practices, harmful deforestation on a mammoth scale continues to this day. A mind-boggling 200,000 square acres of the Amazon Rainforest is cleared every. While not all of this felled land is related to paper manufacture – the agricultural and cattle industries are two of the biggest drivers here – this gives some idea of the rate at which our green environments are being depleted by human activity.

What Are the Alternatives?

One of the things that is so frustrating about the environmental damage caused by toilet paper is that there are so many perfectly viable alternatives out there. In many Asian countries, for example, toilet paper is virtually unheard of, and people typically use a hand-held water jet to rinse off before drying with a towel.

There is actually a good argument for this method being much more hygienic than the standard, Western toilet roll. However, convincing people to adopt any new behaviour, no matter how small, is one of the main challenges faced by environmentalists and policy makers every day. When it comes to something as personal as going to the bathroom, people are even more likely to bridle at any suggested modification to their private ritual.

Fortunately, there are other options. Recycled toilet paper offers the same product but has far less negative impact on the environment. It may not seem like much, but making the switch to a more eco-friendly toilet paper can go a long way to reducing your overall carbon footprint.

Share

Other Stories

Kara Henry
Kara Henry is a life-long Midwest resident which sparked her passion for environmentalism from a young age. She is a recent graduate from the University of Kansas. Once the coronavirus pandemic is over, she hopes to travel and experience all mother nature has to offer.

  • Recent Posts

    • The Environmental Impact Of Biomedical Waste And How To Reduce It
    • What Are the Most Eco-Friendly Types of Water Filters?
    • The Top 7 Eco-Friendly Kitchen Cabinet Picks For 2023
    • How To Sustain A Carbon-Neutral Lifestyle
    • Sustainable Fishing Methods to Fish More Responsibly
  • Categories

    • Animals
    • Climate Change
    • Eco Editorial
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Environmental Policy
    • Green Food
    • Green Technology
    • Green Tips
    • Green Travel
    • Infographics
    • Other Stories
    • Pollution
    • Recycle
    • Sustainability
    • Toxics
    • Uncategorized
  • Archives

    • March 2023
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2011



Home | About | Advertise With Us | Bike The Netherlands | Current Environmental Issues | Eco Editorial | Contact