After worship on Sun., Sept. 11 the Green Team gave away 48 rolls of bamboo toilet paper (TP). You may wonder why the choice of TP matters. After all, Kirkland or Charmin work fine, and paper is paper, right? Well, actually, no. The TP you get in those megapacks at the big box stores is made of wood that comes from the arboreal forests that ring the Arctic Circle. That soft-but-strong TP — and paper towels, for that matter — is produced by the Douglas fir trees that grow in the far north, so big paper companies have been clearcutting the forests to bring you just the right tp for a good, clean wipe. Bamboo, on the other hand, regrows so quickly that there’s no such thing as “clearcutting” it. Yes, a bamboo forest has an environmental footprint; but it’s nothing like clearcutting virgin forest. Recycled TP is also a good alternative. Experts differ over which is more sustainable; but the point is that either is a better choice than wiping your bum with the arboreal forest.
And the great thing is that there are several companies that will deliver a big box of soft, strong absorbent bamboo or recycled toilet paper or paper towels to your door for a price that (last checked) is about the same as what you would pay at your big box store. You can google “sustainable toilet paper” or ask someone on the Green Team for a recommendation.