AAVR Magazine

Green Quick Tip: Paper Towels

Paper towels are an essential in anyones house.  It’s the go to for spills, messes and drying of hands.  But how many of us over use paper towels and therefor, waste them?  I know that I do sometimes.  What can we do to be more efficient and a little greener?

1) Do you really need a paper towel for that job?  If you just need to dry your hands, a dish towel, or hand towel would make more sense.  You can use them for years (as long as you wash them please).  When cleaning up a little water on the counter top, grab your sponge instead, that’s what it’s there for.

2) Buy good paper towels.  Now I know some of you reading this (Justin) are saying that this is just Keith falling into the role of having to buy name brand things.  Well, I have a good reason this time.  I was once in college and strapped for cash.  Room mates didn’t always buy things like Paper Towels, so I would buy the cheap ones.  Here is the problem.  You end up you using more of the cheap ones than of the name brands because they aren’t as good.  They either don’t absorb as much or they fall apart easier.  When you buy a name brand, they tend to absorb more water and be a little bit more rugged.  Even thought the up front cost maybe more, the long term costs are less, and less frustrating.

3) Buying the right kind of towel.  There a couple different styles of paper towels to choose from.  You have your plain white towel, which is good, does the job and is there when you need them.  You have your decorative print towels, a favorite of moms everywhere.  Then you have what I am currently using, the select a size.  Standard towels always come in that large square shape, but you don’t always need that much.  The select a size lets you rip off half size sheets for smaller jobs.  What is great about this what you can save in towels.  You will use less rolls over time, and of course that is great for the environment.  And of course, if you can find them, there are the recycled paper towels.  Remember, that your common paper towel comes from a tree that was cut just so you could clean up that split beer at your last party.  Why not use recycled paper towels instead.  These towels have already lived a good life as a news paper, or some cardboard, and are now ready to clean your mess.  They are available everywhere, but check the shelf at your grocery store, and if you see them, give them a try, you won’t be disappointed.

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