Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Paper Napkins, Facial Tissues

[OHeather]

Are all recycled paper products created equal? No! You have to read the label, just like if you have a food allergy or intolerance. The fine print tells you A LOT about a product. So get your reading glasses out at the grocery store...WAIT! No, you don't have to!!!!!

Greenpeace has a great little guide on their website about which paper products are better for the earth. You can see a pdf here or you can even download a pocket guide to use at the store (no reading glasses necessary).

What you will notice is that even among the same brand, buying paper towels from that company may be a better choice than buying their napkins. Marcal Small Steps is one of the brands that is in more than one of the buy/okay/do-not-buy categories.


This will help you read the chart better:

Products bleached with chlorine compounds (including ECF) create super toxic chemicals known to cause cancer. Processed Chlorine-Free (PCF) or Totally Chlorine-Free (TCF) products do not.

[kristen.c]

Thanks for posting this great guide!

We don't buy paper napkins anymore, but do buy recycled TP and PT from Trader Joe's. I've tried a few different brands of recycled/unbleached tissues but they are really rough on my nose and I ended up getting a bunch of small breakouts and red, irritated skin around my nose and upper lip area. I guess that's one thing that we have to make do without...

[OHeather]

Another option for facial tissues would be to use hankies. I know the picture you must have in your head of an old man honking his nose and then stuffing it in his back pocket for later use: yuck!! I bet making some out of organic cotton (small squares) for a one time use before being tossed in the laundry pile would be easy on your nose. I don't think I can go there just yet, but it is an option.

[ocean_brez]

Originally Posted by OHeather

Another option for facial tissues would be to use hankies. I know the picture you must have in your head of an old man honking his nose and then stuffing it in his back pocket for later use: yuck!! I bet making some out of organic cotton (small squares) for a one time use before being tossed in the laundry pile would be easy on your nose. I don't think I can go there just yet, but it is an option.

Thanks for the nifty pocket guide! I am pretty surprised that the CVS Earth Essentials Toilet Paper didn't make it on the list at all. Maybe it's on the comprehensive list and I just haven't read that far yet.

Oh and BTW... you described my Dad's hanky habit!