Green Paper Towels Not So Good?
According to a recent study done by Consumer Reports, paper towels made mostly from recycled paper only performed fairly compared to other paper towel brands that use virgin paper.
The study conducted a test on 21 different types of paper towels and performed a number of tests on them. The main test done to determine this rating was to determine how strong each paper towels hold up when scrubbing both dry and wet.
I’ve used a few of the green paper towels available on the market and they perform as I would expect them to. There is just no reason that paper towels need to be used in most situations when a reusable towel could be used in it’s place. That’s why paper towels in general should be avoided, even when they are made from recycled paper.
After watching the video above, I became really frustrated. It’s great that the major brands of paper towels can hold up against such tough conditions, but do you really need a paper towel to be able to do that? It’s bad enough that those brands use virgin paper when constructing their toilet paper, but most people don’t even use paper towels in the way they are testing.
I think the real question we need to be asking is do we need to even be using paper towels at all?
Comments
I’m not sure if we should avoid paper towels at all. I think that normal towels are of course better but sometimes it is more handy to use paper towel.
I just bought a roll of green paper towels and it will be the last time I buy that brand. Not only are they not absorbent, I swear they have no perforation so they are hard to tear off the roll. Done venting:) I agree that towels are better, but there is just some circumstances that I will also use paper towels.
We had make sponges, that we use just like paper towels and like sponges. We make ours from recycled flour sacks and coconut pith. They work like a treat and are sooo much better for the environment than paper towels AND the cellulose sponges in the market nowadays…check out Wikipedia on how to make biodegradable cellulose, NO thanks, and the marketeers say they are environmentally friendly..greenwash..
Most of the time, we use small hand-towels in our house but sometimes it is tempting to use paper towels because it’s so easy to just wipe something and dispose of it. The convenience of paper towels makes it really wasteful.
Wow, thanks for saying this. No, we don’t need paper towels at all. Microfiber cloths are fantastic for cleaning, and old towels and rags are perfect for spills. So are sponges. It’s time to phase out paper towels!
@ Kirsten: That’s exactly what we use, too! For the most part, we’ll try to use microfiber cloths and old rags because they are washable and reusable unlike paper towels.
The convenience of a paper towel is what people love about it. Of course it’s better in most case to use a real towel or wash cloth.
Good video though…really good one!
I totally agree with you … I’m not so sure that we ever need paper towels. I, personally, don’t use them and have found that reusable towels work for everything. I haven’t bought paper towels for years and haven’t missed them.
Wonderful Post!
I totally agree. Paper towels should only be used as a last resort. Whenever possible we should use reusable towels. Paper towels are simply waste. Using recycled paper towels is a step in the right direction though.
I agree, but also find myself using way too many paper towels… I think that someone should market reusable “paper towels” or something that you will think of the same way as a paper towel yet not throw away; I just know I dont reach for a towel when i am doing chores around the house
I try to avoid paper towels but if i do purchase them i choose eco-friendly versions that are unbleached. I find they all perform great for everyday spills