by Valerie Deneen
Continuing with our series of Little Green Choices for Families, this week’s step is to take a close look at the paper products in your home.
Does your family use several rolls of paper towels every week? What about paper napkins?
Switching to reusable cloth napkins or towels is a quick and easy change my family starting implementing many years ago. We love how colorful and festive our table looks, and cloth napkins make every meal seem like a special treat. Initially we hesitated to switch to cloth because of the added laundry, but we found that they add very little to the laundry pile. They also save us time (and money) at the grocery store. We have not missed paper towels or napkins ever since.
If switching to reuseable cloth towels or napkins seems too daunting for your family, consider using these items more sparingly. Another option is to give recycled paper products a try. Look for brands that are made from at least 60% post consumer waste material. Post-consumer waste means it has been otherwise destined for disposal, but has been recycled instead — keeping these materials out of our landfills.
These small steps can add up to big impact for the planet, so it’s worth it to give them a try.
Want more little green choices? You can see the last post in this series here: http://www.stonyfield.com/blog/2012/04/06/start-a-garden/
