Paper Towel - free

I'm not sure when it started exactly, but one day I got a little nagging feeling that my paper towel habit was kind of wasteful and frivolous. It probably happened as I was wiping down the kitchen counter. My mind started to wander, and I tried to imagine a simpler time. A time when people had less stuff, less space, and less waste. The paper towel just wasn't fitting into that picture. I had gotten used to it being a fixture in my life. The roll even had a special stand just for it to call home! Any spill or spot, and voila, I'd just whip off a sheet faster than you could blink. But I knew I had to let it go. I started thinking of the millions of rolls of thinly wrapped paper that are produced worldwide, and we just use them quickly and throw them out. Millions and millions of sheets a day, I imagine. So I wondered if I could handle it. Could I knock the habit of reaching for the paper towel each time trouble arose? Spills did happen often in my home, after all, and they're great for finishing off the kitchen counter after all the dishes have been washed. Well, I would give it a try.

So I used my last roll, and then I decided it was now or never. "Paper Towels" didn't make it on the next week's Costco list. I was going for it. I armed the kitchen drawers with some handy white rags. They're kinda like bar rags or whatever those are called. So once I was done washing dishes, I just used the white rag to wipe down counters and the table. It was cool. I decided not to feel stingy with white rags; use 'em as much and as often as I like. I also put a few in a lower cabinet for the kids to easily reach in case they needed to clean up any spills (that happens often). And it's worked out great! I use one rag, then it goes to the laundry. I never reuse one. I can't stand that concept of the wet rag sitting around the sink. And now we're all used to it! No more paper towels!!! Every once in a while my husband will ask something like 'why don't we have any paper towels?', but honestly, he's not in the kitchen that often, so it's not a big deal! I put a white rag in his hand and tell him to use that instead.

Isn't this how diapers used to be as well? Well, I gave cloth diapering a try once, a long long time ago. It didnt' last for too long. After my 6 week trial period, I was sure it wasn't for me. I know, I do realize the long term effects of disposible diaper usage are infinitely worse than paper towel usage, but I picked a concession I could live with! It's a small step, but I do hope to continue to eliminate unhealthy habits in the home and to increase more earth-friendly ways of living.