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Buy sustainable toilet paper

2/28/2019

 
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How sustainable is your toilet paper?

In a report entitled “The Issue with Tissue: How Americans Are flushing Forests Down the Toilet”, the Natural Resources Defense Council states that most toilet paper, paper towels and facial tissues sold in the United States are made from wood pulp, “and in the United States that wood pulp comes largely from the boreal forest of Canada. Our demand for tissue is devastating the boreal, with serious consequences for Indigenous Peoples, treasured wildlife, and the global climate.”*
The report provides a consumer guide to individual brands of tissue products, graded on the basis of recycled content. NRDC calls on companies to “stop the tree-to-toilet pipeline” by transitioning to postconsumer recycled fibers. Consumers can limit or reduce their use of disposable tissue products by, for example, using cloth napkins and kitchen towels.

*Jennifer Skene. February, 2019. "The Issue with Tissue: How Americans Are flushing Forests Down the Toilet." NRDC Report 
https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/issue-tissue-how-americans-are-flushing-forests-down-toilet-report.pdf

Photo by Daniela, Flickr Commons



Rinse recyclables with cold water

2/14/2019

 
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Lightly rinse recyclables with cold water to reduce contamination of other recyclable material.

For more details, see this article by Nick Douglas at Lifehacker.com.

https://lifehacker.com/how-to-rinse-your-recyclables-without-wasting-water-1826764672




Use vinegar to clean your kitchen

2/7/2019

 
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Mix equal parts vinegar and water for a non-toxic cleaning solution for floors and countertops.

The chemicals in cleaning solutions degrade indoor air quality which can lead to health problems.  Make your own cleaning solutions with non-toxic products that you have around the house. 

Greatist.com writer
Laura Newcomer suggests that homemade cleaners have multiple benefits in that they save money and "
cuts down on packaging waste and reduces the release of household chemicals that can contribute to air and water pollution."*

Newcomer lists several uses for vinegar to clean the kitchen.  For kitchen floors made from tile or linoleum, “simply combine one part white vinegar with two parts warm water in a bucket. Use a mop or rag to scrub down the floors with the solution. No need to rinse off! (Note: this one’s not recommended for wood floors)."*  To clean kitchen counters, “mix together equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. If your countertop is made from marble, granite, or stone, skip the vinegar (its acidity is no good for these surfaces) and use rubbing alcohol or the wondrous power of vodka instead.”*

*Laura Newcomer, March 19, 2015. 27 Chemical-Free Recipes for DIY Spring Cleaning. https://greatist.com/health/27-chemical-free-products-diy-spring-cleaning


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