The products you use every day are responsible for billions of trees being cut down each year
Better consumer choices lead to a better world
Oftentimes, we don’t put much thought into the products we purchase and use daily. We choose our products based on what delivers the best value. We buy what works for us.
But, many of us don’t take a moment to think about the impact our purchases have on our forests, on our air, on our water, and on the rest of our environment.
It’s time that we start rethinking our shopping behaviors and start asking ourselves: what changes can we make to help save our trees and preserve our Mother Earth?
Changing what we purchase can save the environment and, at the same time, save us money.
Three products you should immediately stop using, and what you can replace them with:
- Traditional toilet paper
According to The World Counts, an organization formed to raise awareness of important challenges faced around the globe, 42 million tons of toilet paper is used annually.
In terms of trees: the National Geographic Society Newsroom reported in 2010 that the equivalent of 27,000 trees in toilet paper waste ends up being flushed down the pipes or dumped in landfills every single day.
Instead of using traditional toilet paper for your bathroom needs, consider using bamboo toilet paper.
Unlike traditional toilet paper, bamboo toilet paper is:
- Friendlier on the environment
- Impressively comfortable
- Delightfully soft, but thick at the same time
- Both highly absorbent and durable
- One-time-use paper towels
Before you go out and buy another roll of paper towels, consider these facts published by Creighton University:
- Most paper towels are manufactured from virgin paper and contain no recycled content
- No less that 17 trees and 20,000 gallons of water are required to produce a single ton of paper towels
- Paper towels are brightened with highly toxic chlorine and oxygen bleaches
Next time you have a spill that you need to wipe up, or some cleaning chores that you need to perform, think about using reusable, washable products that create less waste than paper towels. For example:
- Microfiber cleaning cloths
- Cotton napkins
Not only are these products better for the environment, they save you money by not needing to be replaced constantly.
- Disposable coffee filters
That coffee filter you trash with every fresh pot of coffee you brew might seem insignificant. But repeated daily (multiple times daily, if you’re a heavy coffee drinker), the paper waste generated quickly adds up.
It’s not just trees that are harmed by the widespread use of disposable coffee filters. Disposable coffee filters are treated with chlorine and oxygen bleaches, as well as other chemicals, to give them their white, clean appearance. All of these chemicals can be harmful to fish, plants, and wildlife, as well as to humans.
Instead of disposable paper coffee filters that are only good for one use then need to be discarded, you should look into other options, like eco-friendly washable and reusable metal and cloth coffee filters.
By substituting your disposable paper coffee filters with washable and reusable metal and cloth coffee filters, you’re helping to keep our forests lush, our fauna thriving, and our flora abundant.
Just a little effort on your part can make a huge difference to the planet
It doesn’t take much to help make the world we live in a better place. Simple changes to our daily routines and to our purchasing habits as consumers can make an extraordinarily large positive impact on our environment.
When deciding what products to purchase, we should be thinking not just about financial costs, but also costs to the environment. In many cases, we’re not being backed into choosing one or the other. Saving the environment can also mean saving money.
Next time you’re shopping for products that you incorporate into your daily routine, be mindful of the planet and consider if eco-friendly options are available.
