Many of us make a concerted effort to choose waste-free options over disposable products. But our search for a better way tends to stop at the bathroom door. In this article, we’ll show you how you can make the switch to more sustainable toilet paper alternatives.
The United States uses more toilet paper per person than any other country. According to estimates from statista.com, the average American goes through about 141 rolls per year. Germany comes in second with 134 rolls, and the UK in third with 127.
Toilet paper is made with bleached kraft pulp, a substance manufactured from wood chips, which (surprise!) come from trees. That means that increased use of toilet paper leads to more rapid deforestation and all of the negative environmental effects that come along with that. To make matters worse, very often, toilet paper is made from virgin wood pulp, as opposed to recycled.
Maybe you’ve arrived at this article because you are ecologically conscious, and using regular toilet paper doesn’t conform to your values. Or, maybe you’ve been googling “toilet paper alternatives” out of necessity.
1. Washcloth, Soap and Water
Yeah, yeah, we know. Ew. But sometimes when nature calls, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. Whether you are looking for toilet paper alternatives because you want to cut toilet paper out of your life, or because you simply can’t get your hands on any, a washcloth is not the worst idea. The advantages? Getting clean using a method that is similar to what you’re used to. The disadvantage? Having to clean the cloth. But with hot water, soap and a slight mindset adjustment towards a more rugged perspective, it’s really not that bad.
2. Just Soap and Water
If you grew up in the United States, toilet paper might seem like an absolutely indispensable part of daily life, but the truth is that using toilet paper is a cultural practice, just like driving on the right side of the road, or nodding your head ‘yes’, or predicting when spring will come based on the behavior of a groundhog. We do it that way, but not everyone in the world does, and alternative methods work just as well, if not better than ours.
Anyone who is from, or has traveled to, places like India, North Africa, or the Middle East, knows that in those places, it is considered taboo to eat or to shake hands with your left hand. Why? Because that is the hand that you use to wash after doing the number two. You might think this is gross, but people who grew up in those places think that you are even grosser. Consider this: if you were walking barefoot outside and stepped in dung, would you just wipe it off with paper and get on with your day? Pretty sure that would be a hard no. You would go directly to the nearest source of water and wash yourself. Why would you treat your butt any different?
The fact is, outside the US, the UK, northern Europe and Australia, the rest of the world washes themselves with water after using the toilet because it is the only way to really get clean. Not only is dropping the toilet paper habit better for the environment, but it’s also better for butt hygiene.
All you need to make this change in your life is any small container with a spout and some soap. We assume you can figure out the rest on your own.
Since the rest of the world has been using water to clean their bums for quite a while, they’ve had ample opportunity to refine the process. Over time, different contraptions have been invented to make this practice easier and, dare we say, kind of fun. If you are ready to fully commit to a cleaner butt and a cleaner environment, here are some toilet paper alternatives that you can install in your bathroom for long-term use.
Starting with the least fun option, the bidet is a creation of the French. It is basically a low, oval basin with a sort of faucet that allows water to flow at a convenient angle for cleaning. The downside is, it has to be installed in your bathroom next to your toilet and could get a bit pricey, as well as being a bit bulky.
As a simple toilet paper alternative, in many places in Asia, hand bidets are everywhere. A hand bidet is a little shower nozzle that is installed next to your toilet. It is easier (and more fun) to use than a full French bidet, and is cheaper to install.
If you like the sound of that but it still seems too expensive, you can buy a small hand-held bidet bottle like this one on Amazon**:
If you are committed to achieving the most magical bathroom experience possible, and are willing to invest money to get it, this toilet paper alternative is the option for you.
In Japan, they have crafted the ultimate toilet that will fulfill every last one of your wildest lavatory dreams. These high-tech devices feature not only little water nozzles that work as a built-in bidet, but also adjustable water pressure and temperature, an option for soapy water, an integrated blow dryer, deoderizer, air conditioning below the rim, heated seats, armrests, and to top it all off, it plays relaxing music while you are taking care of business.
Or Buy Recycled Toilet Paper
Change can be difficult, and for some people, bathroom rituals are particularly sacred. If you want to help the environment, but you aren’t ready to change your approach to cleaning yourself after going to the toilet in a fundamental way, there is still something you can do.
Buy recycled toilet paper. People tend to buy virgin toilet paper products because there is a pervading belief that they are softer and stronger than the recycled kind. That is probably true in some cases, but not always! Recycled toilet paper can be just as comfortable and just as durable as the non-recycled kind.
In the supermarket, check the label carefully to see what percentage of wood pulp is virgin and what percentage is recycled. If you can’t find a product that you are satisfied with, try an online company like Who Gives A Crap: their soft, 3-ply toilet paper is made with 100% recycled paper, and they even donate half of their profits to building toilets for those in need.underlined orange are partially partner links: If you buy here, you actively support Utopia.org, because we will receive a small part of the sales proceeds. More info.
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Wengi wetu hufanya jitihada za pamoja za kuchagua vyakula visivyo na taka badala ya vyakula vinavyoweza kutumiwa mara moja. Lakini utafutaji wetu wa njia bora huelekea kukoma kwenye mlango wa bafu. Katika makala hii, tutakuonyesha jinsi unaweza kufanya kubadili kwa mbadala zaidi endelevu toilet karatasi. Marekani hutumia karatasi ya choo zaidi kwa kila mtu kuliko nchi nyingine yoyote. Kulingana na takwimu za Statista, wastani wa watu wa Amerika hutumia karibu rolls 141 kwa mwaka. Ujerumani inashika nafasi ya pili na kuongoza na nchi ya Uingereza na nchi ya Ulaya na nchi ya Ulaya na nchi ya Ulaya na nchi ya Ulaya na nchi ya Ulaya na nchi ya Ulaya na nchi ya Ulaya na nchi ya Ulaya na nchi ya Ulaya. Karatasi ya choo hutengenezwa kwa pulp ya kraft iliyopakwa rangi, dutu inayotengenezwa kutokana na vipande vya mbao, ambayo (ishara!) zinatoka kwenye miti. Kwa hivyo, matumizi ya karatasi ya choo ya kawaida huongeza uharibifu wa misitu na athari mbaya za mazingira. Kwa kuongezea, mara nyingi karatasi ya choo hutengenezwa kutokana na pulp ya mbao, badala ya kuchakata. Labda umefika kwenye makala hii kwa sababu una ufahamu wa ikolojia, na kutumia karatasi ya kawaida ya choo haipatani na maadili yako. Au, labda umekuwa Googling "toilet karatasi mbadala" nje ya uhitaji. 1. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Washcloth, sabuni na maji - ni nini? Ew. (Kushangaa) Lakini wakati mwingine wakati asili inapoita, lazima ufanye kile unachohitaji kufanya. Kama wewe ni kuangalia kwa ajili ya chaguo chaguo la karatasi ya choo kwa sababu unataka kukata karatasi ya choo nje ya maisha yako, au kwa sababu wewe tu hawezi kupata mikono yako juu ya yoyote, washcloth si wazo mbaya. Faida zake? Kupata safi kwa kutumia mbinu ambayo ni sawa na nini wewe ni kutumika kwa. Ubaya wake ni nini? Lazima kusafisha kitambaa. Lakini kwa maji moto, sabuni na marekebisho madogo ya mawazo kuelekea mtazamo mgumu zaidi, kwa kweli si mbaya sana. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Kama ulikua nchini Marekani, karatasi ya choo inaweza kuonekana kama sehemu muhimu sana ya maisha ya kila siku, lakini ukweli ni kwamba kutumia karatasi ya choo ni mazoea ya kitamaduni, kama vile kuendesha gari upande wa kulia wa barabara, au kutikisa kichwa chako 'ndiyo', au kutabiri wakati spring itakuja kulingana na tabia ya groundhog. Sisi hufanya hivyo, lakini si kila mtu duniani anafanya hivyo, na mbinu mbadala hufanya kazi sawa, kama si bora kuliko yetu. "Kila mtu anayetoka au aliyesafiri kwenda maeneo kama vile India, Afrika Kaskazini, au Mashariki ya Kati, anajua kwamba katika maeneo hayo, ni jambo la kawaida kula au kugusa mkono kwa mkono wako wa kushoto.""" Kwa nini? Kwa hiyo, ni mkono ambao unatumia kuosha baada ya kufanya namba mbili. Unaweza kufikiri hii ni mbaya, lakini watu ambao walilelewa katika maeneo hayo kufikiri kwamba wewe ni hata mbaya zaidi. Fikiria hili: Kama wewe ni kutembea barefoot nje na kuanguka katika mbolea, ingekuwa wewe tu kufuta mbali na karatasi na kupata juu ya siku yako? Nina hakika kwamba hilo lingekuwa jibu gumu la la. Ukienda moja kwa moja kwenye chanzo cha maji kilicho karibu na kuoga, Kwa nini utende nyuma yako tofauti yoyote? """Kwenye nchi za nje ya Marekani, Uingereza, Ulaya ya Kaskazini na Australia, watu wengi huoga kwa maji baada ya kutumia choo kwa sababu hiyo ndiyo njia pekee ya kuwa safi." Si tu ni kuacha tabia ya karatasi ya choo bora kwa ajili ya mazingira, lakini pia ni bora kwa ajili ya usafi wa butt. Ili kufanya mabadiliko hayo, unahitaji tu chupa ndogo ya maji na sabuni. Tunadhani unaweza kufikiri mapumziko juu ya yako mwenyewe. Kwa kuwa ulimwengu wote umekuwa ukitumia maji kusafisha viuno vyao kwa muda mrefu, wamekuwa na fursa nyingi za kuboresha mchakato huo. Baada ya muda, vifaa mbalimbali vimebuniwa ili kufanya zoezi hili liwe rahisi na, tuseme, la kufurahisha. Ikiwa una nia ya kuondoa uchafu wa choo na mazingira safi, hapa ni chaguo la karatasi ya choo ambayo unaweza kuweka kwenye bafu yako kwa matumizi ya muda mrefu. Kuanzia na chaguo lisilo na furaha zaidi, bidet ni uumbaji wa Wafaransa. Ni chombo cha chini, chenye umbo la mviringo, chenye mfereji unaowezesha maji kutiririka kwa njia inayofaa. Kwa upande mwingine, ni muhimu kuweka chombo hicho kwenye bafu yako, na inaweza kuwa ghali sana. Kama mbadala rahisi wa karatasi ya choo, katika sehemu nyingi za Asia, bideti za mkono zipo kila mahali. Bidet ya mkono ni mfereji mdogo wa kuoga ambao huwekwa kando ya choo chako. Ni rahisi (na ya kufurahisha zaidi) kutumia kuliko bidet kamili ya Kifaransa, na ni ya bei nafuu kufunga. Ikiwa unafurahia sauti ya hiyo lakini bado inaonekana ghali sana, unaweza kununua chupa ndogo ya bidet ya mkono kama hii kwenye Amazon.com, ikiwa umejitolea kufikia uzoefu wa bafuni wa kichawi iwezekanavyo, na uko tayari kuwekeza pesa ili kuipata, mbadala huu wa karatasi ya choo ni chaguo kwako. Japani imebuni choo cha mwisho ambacho kitatimiza ndoto zako zote za kuogelea. Vifaa hivi vya teknolojia ya juu vina nozzles ndogo za maji ambazo hufanya kazi kama bidet iliyojengwa, lakini pia shinikizo la maji na joto linaloweza kubadilishwa, chaguo la maji ya sabuni, blow dryer iliyojumuishwa, deodorizer, hali ya hewa chini ya rim, viti vilivyo joto, viti vya mikono, na juu ya yote, ina muziki wa kupumzika wakati unafanya biashara. Kuchukua karatasi ya choo ya kuchuja inaweza kuwa ngumu, na kwa watu wengine, desturi za bafuni ni takatifu sana. Kama unataka kusaidia mazingira, lakini wewe si tayari kubadilisha mbinu yako ya kusafisha mwenyewe baada ya kwenda choo kwa njia ya msingi, bado kuna kitu unaweza kufanya. Nunua karatasi ya choo iliyotengenezwa upya. Watu wengi wanatafuta karatasi ya choo ya kawaida kwa sababu wanaamini kuwa ni laini na imara kuliko ile iliyotengenezwa upya. Yaelekea hilo ni kweli katika visa fulani, lakini si sikuzote! Karatasi ya choo inayotengenezwa upya inaweza kuwa yenye starehe na yenye kudumu kama ile isiyochukuliwa upya. Katika duka, angalia kwa uangalifu lebo ili kuona ni asilimia ngapi ya pulp ya mbao ni bikira na ni asilimia ngapi ni recycled. Ikiwa huwezi kupata bidhaa unayokubali, jaribu kampuni ya mtandaoni kama Who Gives A Crap: karatasi yao laini ya choo ya tabaka tatu imetengenezwa kwa karatasi iliyorudishwa 100% na hata hutoa nusu ya faida yao kwa kujenga vyoo kwa wale wanaohitaji. Habari zaidi. Je, unapenda chapisho hili?