A Paperless Bathroom

Have you heard about the paperless bathroom movement?  There are people all over the developed world who have made the decision to stop using toilet paper.  They’re not drip drying, mind you.  They’re using cloth.

The idea can seem pretty crazy at first.  But just imagine how much we could save our environment (and our wallets!) by ditching traditional toilet paper.

All you have to do is keep a supply of small bits of fabric next to the toilet.  Don’t flush it in the toilet.  Stick it in a bucket with water and a little cleaner, just like you’d do with cloth diapers.

Make up your own guidelines – do you use cloth for #1 and #2?

Can’t you just see the raised eyebrows from your mother-in-law!?  Maybe you want to offer toilet paper to your guests.

But I hear that the cloth solution is sooo much more comfortable.  So what do you say?  Want to save money?  Sooth yourself?  And save the environment?!  I mean, come on – what’s not to love about this solution?

Well I can think of a few problems.  I’m sure you’ve thought of your own, so I’ll skip the details of why our house has not created a toilet paper free environment.  (We’re still working on paperless nose blowing after all.)  Using cloth is a pretty interesting concept though, isn’t it?

Instead, we always buy 100% recycled.  In Germany, the price is easily comparable to other toilet papers.  In the US, it’s more expensive.

Our neighbor teases that we’re literally flushing our money down the toilet.  We pull out our guns and fire back in good ol’ Western style about flushing our state beauty down the toilet, yadda yadda. (He uses your regular old toilet paper… the kind that is 100% from virgin trees and stuffed with chlorines and bleaching products.)

I understand a consumer’s reasoning for buying the most affordable toilet paper.  What I do not understand is why companies chose to make toilet paper with absolutely no repurposed materials.  Imagine the impact we could have by using fewer resources in the bathroom.  My vote – and thereby my dollar – just feels like it has to go to companies figuring out ways to recycle paper.

In the meantime, has your family made any switches to recycled toilet paper?  Or even cloth?  Do you think it’s all silly?  Whatever  your heart feels, share it right here.  We’re ready and intrigued.