Several years ago I tried reducing my family’s paper towel usage by switching to cloth towels. At first, I switched 100%. I just stopped buying paper towels and used the cloth towels instead.
My family moaned and groaned. In addition to their moaning and groaning, there were a few occasions where a paper towel was a better option than cloth towel. Namely in pulling the excess skin and fat off of chicken. Although I’ve figured out how to make one sheet of paper towel go a long way, I still use it for those purposes.
The problem with having paper towels in the house is if they’re there, they’ll be used. In other words, although I prefer to use the cloth towels 99% of the time, my family has reverted back to using paper towels 100% of the time.
Efficient Paper Towel Use
Here’s a great video on TED that teaches us how to reduce our paper towel usage. As a matter of fact, when washing your hands you only need 1 sheet. Check out the video to see how to do it:
By the way, after watching the video I gave it a try, and guess what? He’s right!
With one viewing of this 4 ½ minute video, my household has been converted to shakers and folders. We’re spreading the word and you should too.
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I too have gone paperless. Have you tried just using a knife to remove the fat/skin from chicken? I’ll admit it’s a lot easier to use paper towels but I refuse to give in not matter how few are used.
My 32 gal garbage can now only has two of the plastic vegetable bags a week. I think the trash man thinks we’re strange. Recycle, recycle and use only fresh ingredients.
Big change in the landfill.
Yep, tried using the knife. I believe it’s more sanitary for me to use the one sheet of paper towel than to clean up after up chucking all over the chicken. There’s not way of getting around it, but I find the chicken fat and the wiggly gel stuff gross and a quick swipe with a paper towel works much better with senses than playing in it with a knife.
Personally, I’ve given up eating chicken, but the rest of the folks in my house haven’t.
As far as recycling goes, I agree with you. Since starting with bokashi, we can actually skip weeks of trash pickup. We’re throwing out so much less trash.