Resist the urge to use a paper towelShalom and Welcome to Tikkun Tips. A bi-weekly nugget of Eco-Jewish thought from your friends at the Teva Learning Center.
So here is the situation: you are in your kitchen, preparing for Shabbat, or cleaning up after guests, and whoops, you knock over a bowl that has some sort of liquid in it. The spill is quickly spreading across your countertop, steadily making its way to the edge, where it will drip down the cabinet, onto the floor, ultimately be absorbed by your sock. Yuk!
The pressure is on, and time is of the essence. What do you do? Most of us would opt for the quick fix solution: the paper towel. So simple yet so effective, and with rugged plaid wearing spokesmen, we are convinced that without paper towels our home will become the melting pot of all germs and bacteria.
But wait! Suddenly a voice pops into your head. It is the voice of Tikkun Tips, which you had just read moments before, and which had reminded you of alternatives to traditional paper towels. So while keeping the impeding liquid disaster in sight, you grab your cloth towel or sponge and prevent what would have been a rather unpleasant runny sock situation.
But what’s the big deal? Sure paper towels represent a throw-away lifestyle, but in actuality, they can’t really be so harmful to the environment, right?
Wrong! Americans use a tremendous amount of paper towels. In fact, they are used in 90% of US households and amount to 3,000 tons of garbage every day. Many paper towels contain fibers from old growth forests and are unable to be recycled once used.
Two quick solutions: Sponges and cloth towels. Sponges require only 20% of the production resources of recycled paper towels. However, sponges and cloth rags elicit some environmental concern as well. Extracting natural sponges can damage coral reefs and production of non-organic cotton has severe environmental consequences. So what are the best options? Here are a few:
Use paper towels made from 100% post consumer waste and that are unbleached. If all paper towels were 100% recycled paper, 1 million tons of used paper would be kep out of our waste stream.
Look for minimal packaging and products that are sold in bulk.
Look for sponges that are made without damaging ecosystems at your local health food store.
The best solution: Reuse old worn out clothes as rags, and try to use them multiple times between washings.
So now when something spills, whether it be your organic soy milkshake, or your mother’s borscht that just happens to slip out of your hands, there is no need to feel any environmental guilt.
Teva Learning Center
307 7th Ave Suite #900
New York, NY 10001
teva@tevacenter.org
www.tevacenter.org
|
Want More?
For information on the environmental impact of paper towels and other household items, check out the Green Seal Reports, a project of the Center of a New American Dream.
Like what you see here? Tikkun Tips is a project of the Teva Learning Center which relies on the support of individuals to bring our message to people throughout the country. Your help allows us to expand the scope of our programs and the numbers of people we reach. Please consider making a contribution to support our work. Support Teva
|
