Small Changes, Big Impact

When we think about waste, most people (myself included) think of plastic first. I hadn’t realized that the paper industry is also such a massive contributor to global warming! Paper towels and napkins are some of the most wasteful things we spend money on and dispose of daily without a second thought 💸 These convenient paper products result in 254 million tons of trash every year!

Did you know...
😱 Once paper towels are used they can’t be recycled!
🌲As many as 51,000 trees per day are required to replace the number of paper towels that are discarded daily.
🗑 The average American discards of 700 pounds or more of paper each year.
😯 If every household in the U.S. used just one less 70-sheet roll of virgin fiber paper towels, that would save 544,000 trees each year. change that to using three less rolls per U.S. household per year, and that would save 120,000 tons of waste and $4.1 million in landfill dumping fees.
🤭 The typical paper towel is manufactured using chlorine, which releases carcinogenic dioxins and furans

Some easy solutions:
• Switch to reusable paper towel alternatives such as cloth napkins or towels. this was one of the first swaps I made. reusable paper towel alternatives can be used countless times, washed when soiled, and save far more energy and resources over their lifetime than paper towels.
• If you need to keep an emergency roll of paper towels on hand, look for recycled paper towels. opt for a roll that is “post-consumer” (the higher the percentage the better) and recycled. if they’re unbleached and chlorine-free, toss used paper towels in the compost.

I’ve created a list of simple swaps you can make to reduce your consumption and help the environment. Whether you want to go full-on plastic-free, or just start making small swaps, I found it helpful to have some guidance along the way. You can download it here 💚

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