Back in our post about saving your butter wrappers, we mentioned off hand that we're trying to be paper towel free. Well... that isn't exactly correct. We figured it was better to be honest about our efforts to reduce our paper towel usage (not because we're trying to be "green"), why we think they can still be essential in the kitchen and how to be ok with the stigma that surrounds their use. Hold on to your eco-friendly hats, you're in for quite a ride...
(Please note that use of the word "we" in this post is intended to represent my husband and I. We share the same brain when it comes to the on goings in the kitchen, how socks get folded, however, is a different matter.)
Our Home
Before we start, I'd like to give you a little background on our kitchen. We take great strides to eat local, fresh, and in season. We use non-toxic (and usually homemade) cleaners to take care of spills and bring our own bags to carry things home in. We grow, can, pickle and try to only eat out when we can't make it better at home. We are big believers in eating well, not to make less of an impact on the environment, but to fuel our bodies with the highest possible quality of food.
The Controversy
So why is there SO MUCH FUSS about paper towel use in the kitchen? It's all the rage to say, "I'm paper towel-less!" like there's a medal to be won or a badge of honor to wear because of it. On the opposite side, maybe you're feeling the reverse effects of green goers around you. There can be a tinge of shame when you sheepishly raise your hand to admit you still use them in your home. Being green enough is a whole new way to keep up with the Jones'. Which ever side of the fence you're on, it seems like a silly point to cause so much drama, like there should be other issues we might be able to make a bigger personal impact on.
On Facts And Statistics
Prior to writing this, we did a fair amount of research, to make sure we had our facts straight. We read a countless and mind numbing amount of posts from blogs and media sources about why we should try to eliminate the convenient roll from our countertops.
Long story short, no one can really tell us why. In fact roughly 95% of the articles we read started out saying paper towels were bad and then morphed into some long-winded tirade about completely different environmental things. Judging by the amount of information and fact based statistics out there, we can only assume the wishy-washy nature of the articles written, stems from the lack of data supporting the ecological impact that the average American household has, by purchasing this specific product.
Don't get us wrong, there are tons of reports on paper in general, but most focus specifically on white paper used in offices (with toilet paper being the next runner up) and the recycling costs to businesses. Although many try to argue that paper is paper in any form and the numbers should still apply, it feel like arguing that because tigers have been known to kill people we must eliminate household cats because they are both felines.
Arguments Against Paper Towel Use
But in support of the general arguments most will try make, here's the main issues:
• Using paper towels means factories causing pollution from their production and trucks to transport them.
• It has also been claimed to kill "virgin" trees and is depleting the worlds resources one roll at a time.
•They bring unwanted chemicals into our homes from the processes in which they are made.
• They don't recycle well. (The pulp is so broken down after use they cling to other recyclables, making them impossible to sort out later.)
• There's no real reason for them when you have towels and sponges.
• Americans are lazy and we lived without them for years, who need convenience, my Grandparents sure didn't!
All of those sound like solid, viable points, but we're not all that convinced; Here's our take on why...
Why We Use Paper Towels In Our Kitchen
Paper towels in the kitchen. They're the devil right? You can almost hear the baby trees crying and becoming more extinct as you wipe off a pan, or clean up a spill. And no one wants to hear baby trees cry, right? So why do we still use them? The answer is simple and a great premise for life and all projects, be it woodworking, under water basket weaving or cooking:
Use The Right Tool For The Job
Shocking, we know, but there are certain instances that they really are what the job calls for and do their part in our kitchen, time and time again, without faltering. Typically the jobs we have for them are those that involve grease, fat or slimy things in general.
• If we aren't cooking our bacon in the oven, paper towels are almost a necessity for taking care of business with the microwave (without having one of those silly looking uni-tasker trays roaming around). A few layers of paper towels to catch the grease, hands down, make for the crispiest bacon, with little clean up or frustration.
• Likewise, they are also a great help with fried foods. Sure you can use newspaper instead of paper towels, but we don't get the newspaper and neither does anyone in our building. We read all of our news online, so there's never any around. But something is required to catch the grease or help soak what little is left on the surface of your foods when they come out of the hot oil, not doing so makes for soggy snacks and no one wants that.
• Although we do keep a small jar of lard or fat in our fridge from the rendering of other meats, there are still pans to wipe out, instead of sending that grease down your drains and into your pipes. Paper towels are perfect for removing all the little bits of "stuff" left in the bottom of your pan after cooking something tasty!
• The last reason we still keep a roll on hand is because of our 4 legged friend, Wilbur. Wilbur is a Boston Terrier with horrible acid reflux issues and what goes inside his body doesn't always stay there. We could use a sponge cloth to pick up the slimy puke-y mess, but it just doesn't stick to the sponge and we always end up with it on us, running to the the sink like a small child chanting, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!
Most other things we really do rely solely on a giant stack of cloth towels or a sponge cloth to get the job done. We dry our hands, wipe down counter tops and clean up most messes just fine. But in sticking with using the "right tool for the job" idea, towels and sponge cloths also have the tasks they work best for too!
Now you know why we use them, but I'm sure you're dying to know how we justify this greedy and gluttonous use of virgin crying trees for our own convenience, right?
Why We Think They're Still Ok To Use
Despite all the criticism paper towel users receive, we still think they are a-ok in the kitchen. We will take this time to note they do make eco-friendly paper towels. They are starting to be carried most places and even in big box stores. They will help you feel better about the chemicals used in the bleaching process of the paper and allow you to use a product made from post-consumer waste and recycled paper.
We still use white, off the shelf, regular old paper towels and don't bother with the eco-friendly version. Why you ask, when there's other options available? Because they just work better. Plain and simple. It defeats the point of using paper towels at all, earth friendly or not, if you have to use 2-3 times as many to wick away grease or clean a pan. We've tested several different types of towels that claim to be eco friendly, and although they work out fine for small spills, when it comes to grease, they just don't have the same absorbent properties.
We're ok with a little convenience in our home and just because our Grandparents might have stuck with a sponge or towel doesn't mean they don't relish in a few modern day conveniences themselves. If you could only see the size of my Grandmother's TV. In addition, trees for paper products aren't depleting our forests as they are a grown crop in this country, just like corn and potatoes. We grow them for paper and we cut them down for paper. We might not be good at some things in this country, but I'll be a monkey's uncle if we aren't great at growing trees!
Heck, we're even ok with not recycling them. If you have a garden they are great for composting and can be mixed in with the rest of your kitchen scraps. Although this method is possible, in the end, we're really and truly ok with just throwing them in the trash. They break down quickly and once wet, they practically disappear!
But the chemicals, what about the chemicals?! Paper towels are bleached out with chemicals at the factories. We'll be more concerned with this point when they start making unbleached paper products that are absorbent and soft. We're not so concerned with the softness of our towels, that's just snooty! Buy we are concerned with the softness of our toilet paper. The day they start making a financially viable, unbleached toilet paper option that's super soft and strong, will be the day they do the same for paper towels. It's all the same factories and gets shipped on all the same trucks. Until then, my regular white paper towels will still be shipped along side their eco-friendly cousins, causing no more pollution from transportation or manufacturing.
This isn't an issue of boycotting the big bad paper giant, it's more a waiting game for technology and the science of manufacturing to catch up to the needs and demands of the people. Green and Earth friendly products are a huge corner of the money making market and it's only a matter of days, months or years before a better product that's pocketbook friendly appears and will become the main product found in stores. When that happens, you bet, we'll hop on the eco-friendly bandwagon, because it will still mean we're using the "right tool for the job!"
You've heard our side of the story, now tell us yours.
Do you still use paper towels in your kitchen?
Why or why not! Leave us your comments below.
Related: Why Not? How To Go Paper Towel-Less in the Kitchen
(Images: too-hectic& Flickr members Dalboz17, ifijay, colinjcampbell, klynslis, swimboy1, nahlinse licensed for use under Creative Commons, Sarah Rae Trover & Elizabeth Passarella)
posted originally from: TheKitchn
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I still use them, but in moderation. I don't feel too bad, though, because those we do use end up in the compost pile rather than the trash.
view lovelainie's profile
more than 80% of "paper" consumption happens in the "developed world"...argument about growing trees as crops is not justifiable thanks to the amount of arable land "tee farming makes use of....it should actually bring in a sense of guilt when over 35% of th eword ppopulation starves...these lands can be better used to increase food crop production and bring overall economic balance around us (the world)...small things do matter....and less said about the bleach used ...the better...potable water resources are depleting...thanks to factories and effluents in "developing nations"...over 70% of the world population struggles to secure a day's worth of usable water...among these things...how valid is your justification..and pl dont argue about how much difference ot using it would make...it does....a lot for that matter....the village i come from in india women walk seven miles for pot of water....just because a cotton yarn factory takes up more than required amount o water and has resulting in drastic fall in the water table...pl people wake up....
view susrith's profile
I agree. Sometimes you just need them. If you're replacing a cloth or sponge with p-towel for EVERYTHING, then there may be an issue, but i'm okay with a few sheets here and there. Case and point... moving out of my existing place and into a new one with my wife I realized that I used a total of 1 roll in a year. Moderation...... *pat on back*
view mattyork's profile
We stopped using paper towels because it seemed wasteful (and not environmentally friendly) I miss them for bacon too, but I've found a way to rig a plate tilted on a chopstick to let the grease drip down to one end. My bacon stays crispy enough. Also with scraping up fat and grease I let it all congeal and then use a silicone spatula/scraper to scrape everything into the garbage. Once it's cool the grease won't melt the trash bag and the silicone scrapers get every little bit of grease off of my pans.
As for your paper towel use for your four legged friend, I can sympathize. I spring for the biodegradeable wipes from Method to wipe up the litter box after I've emptied it out of the litter and poop. I also use the Method wipes for any intestinal gifts my darlings barf up from time to time. I just couldn't bring myself to wipe up the empty litter box with a sponge that I would have to rinse under running water and squeeze out thereby spreading cat poop germs throughout the sponge fibers. Not to mention the germ-filled sink I would then need to sanitize. And then what about the sponge? Do I throw it into a load of laundry to sanitize that? With clothing/towels/linens that brush up against my private parts? I think not. So even though it might be hypocritical in some ways (and certainly not cheap) to ban paper towels but use biodegradeable disposable wipes, it's the way I swing in my house. I'm okay with it. I am a good environmentalist in other ways.
view jamjaree's profile
I cleaned out my big stash of worn out kitchen towels. I cut them in quarters so I wouldn't put them back into regular kitchen towel rotation and use them for cleaning like paper towels. This works well for me because I don't a lot of bacon or greasy foods that require paper towels to clean. The reason I went this route is so I could get some use out of towels that were too worn to use or donate and to give my husband a better alternative to grab something to clean up quick spills. He by passed the paper towels and went with paper napkins - we used to go through way too many paper napkins that way! We broke the paper napkin habit by going with cloth - luckily we had a bunch that we didn't use.
It's OK if you use paper towels. Sometimes the greenest solution for one person may not work for someone else. I'm sure that there's a green thing you do that I don't.
view Condo Blues's profile
I'm happily living without them, instead I have an assortment of teatowels and it works out fine. I don't miss them. I don't fry things in craploads of oil anyway.
view Very Miao's profile
roast bacon in the oven....it's SO much easier.
view tomythewho's profile
I suspect that vegetarian kitchens are lower maintenance. For the occasional veggie fry-up, we use newspaper. For the cat's hairballs: newspaper. For the rest: tea-towels and old bath towels cut up into rags. We developed this habit several years ago when we were strapped for cash and are now completely used to it. (No pats on the back, however, as we did use disposable diapers for Boy.)
view Snickidy's profile
Um, your love of bacon is a much bigger problem than paper towels. One example:
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?142
There are many more examples, please research this.
:) ~Marcie
http://feedingblackmail.blogspot.com/
view marciebarnes's profile
I'm glad you pointed that out Marcie. I was just going to ask if she has a similarly specious justification for her meat-eating.
I think it's interesting that your justification for continuing to use paper towels contains none of the facts or statistics you criticize the opponents of paper towel use for avoiding. Convenience and preference are not reasons to use paper towels. They are excuses for not avoiding them.
My wife and I went paper-towel-less about three months ago, and it has not been inconvenient in the least. You didn't address the fleet of trucks shipping paper towels all over the country, except to say that eco-friendly paper towels and non- use the same trucks. (No paper towels use, of course, no trucks). Also, what about the manufacture and disposal of the plastic and cardboard used in the packaging?
I don't know how bad for the environment paper towels are. (Witness Peter Singer's argument for imported vs. locally-grown rice for a great example of the complexity of this type of debate.) I do know that we are becoming more of a disposal, consumer society every day, and any step in the opposite direction is a positive one.
view Tyro Prate's profile
That illustration atop this post is perhaps the greatest I've ever seen.
Thanks for the interesting discussion.
view Mike Keliher's profile
You are completely right about being green becoming a matter of "keep up with the Joneses." I enjoy reading green blogs, but sometimes I can't stand the level of self-righteousness and holier-than-thou attitudes. These people wonder at the apathy or antagonism that greets the cause, but they should realize that people are more turned off by their attitudes ("You should stop using paper towels because I'm better than you!") than the cause itself.
Also, if people stopped eating bacon, domestic pigs as a species would die out. Wishing extinction on some harmless farm animals seems a lot more animal-hating to me than occasionally eating them.
So good job, for thinking things through and making your own decisions, regardless of what some people say on the matter.
view Thierrys's profile
Tyro I am so with you! I was hoping this article would offer some insight and factoids about why or why not using paper towels is okay or not. But instead, there are just as many wishy washy reasons here to use them as the ones for why you shouldn't use them. Some of these reasons, to me, sound like issues of convenience and yes, maybe some excuses.
Before living green came into vogue people lived inconveniently for what they cared and believed in. It didn't take the invention of the EV1 or the Prius for environmentalists to learn how to curb their energy consumption. So to say that it's okay to keep using our current batch of paper towels until a low-cost high-quality green paper towel comes to the mass market, is a little like saying we shouldn't have bothered with bikes or walking because the green car solution wasn't available at one point. That's extreme, sure, but I'm just trying to drive the point that a paper towel doesn't need to be replaced by a paper towel. There are already products out there that do a paper towel's job. I'm not even saying don't use them, but we should be more aware and treat them as last resorts than the rule. And we definitely shouldn't take a defeatist attitude that we just have to give in because of where the market stands now. The world has not been manufactured to be green and only now are people giving it more thought and not dismissing us as tree huggers.
And the bacon and lard? Oh boy.
view graciela's profile
You criticize others for being holier than thou and keeping up with the Jones' but do so with an attitude that suggests you are part of a cooler crowd, one that doesn't give in to the herd mentality of environmentalism.
I'm so glad your eat local, fresh, in season, use non-toxic cleansers, grow your own food, pickle at home lifestyle is entirely self interested and has nothing to do with regard for any environment outside of your own organism.
Good for you. Well done.
view Slim's profile
I don't buy paper towels mostly because I don't have any place to store them where I can get to them but where they won't get covered in loose fur. I am a vegetarian, so I don't have the grease issues. I do have a lot of pets, and I generally just clean up their super nasty messes with toilet paper. I don't do that because I think of it as more environmentally pure or anything. It is just more convenient for me because I do most of the cleaning in the bathroom anyway.
I do have a set of towels and wash cloths that I use exclusively for my pets. I have bunnies, so I have a set of washable rugs for them to sit on. I soak litterboxes in a vinegar and water solution then wipe them down with the wash cloths (for the bunnies) or toilet paper (for the cats). I have enough to make a load, so all of the pet fabrics get washed together. Cat poop messes are always cleaned up with something disposable to prevent spreading bacteria to my clothes or the rabbits.
view Erica in DC's profile
I try not to use paper towels because they're expensive. But I have to admit I still use them just not as much as I used to. Instead of going through 8 large rolls a months now I maybe go through 1-2 rolls every 6 months (thanks to that wonder product microfiber). I'm all for going green, but I have to admit if it's not practical or cost effective, I through traditional route.
view absOsteele's profile
I only prepare vegetarian meals, so I don't have the grease issues, either. But I do use paper towels for some of my produce - to wrap lettuce, for example. Then when I take it out I use the (now slightly damp) towel to wipe down the hood of my stove, or the dust on top of the fridge...nasty stuff like that. Then the paper towel goes in the compost. I'm well aware that there is still waste involved, but (and this is what I loved about the butter wrapper post) - at least I make it do double duty.
view Britomart's profile