15 million trees are cut every year to make toilet paper. And 56 billion gallons of chemicals are used to bleach it. That is a lot of resources flushed down the drain.
Toilet paper is responsible for approximately 15% of our world’s deforestation! Isn`t it shocking?
To put it into perspective, studies show that the use of toilet paper has a far greater environmental impact than driving high-fuel-consumption vehicles.
Thankfully there is an alternative to the tissue made out of trees – it`s bamboo!
Choosing bamboo toilet paper can help to minimize the environmental impact of our bathroom habits.
When it comes to choosing tissue for your bathroom you generally have 3 options:
- Hardwood virgin pulp tree toilet paper
- Recycled toilet paper
- Bamboo toilet paper
The best option among the three is the bamboo toilet paper. Here are reasons why it is the best among the three.
Why bamboo toilet paper is the sustainable choice?
Bamboo grows back fast
Bamboo is a grass and not a hardwood, so it grows very quickly.
In fact, it`s the fastest growing plant in the world. B
No replanting is necessary, bamboo grows back on its own. Unlike trees, which never grow back after being cut down.
Kind on the environment
Using bamboo toilet paper can help cut down deforestation, save water and wildlife, and can make a real impact on reversing climate change.
Bamboo can grow in environments with depleted soil and little water and actually returns nutrients to the soil, which improves degraded areas.
Bamboo also doesn’t require fertilizers, insecticides or pesticides to grow.
Impact on local communities
A sustainable production process also looks at local communities and impact on their food, health, economy, and quality of life.
Bamboo plantations are harvested annually so jobs are permanent in the regions that need economic stability and security.
While bamboo is fighting deforestation and improving soils in India, Ethiopia, and other regions, it also provides income for local peoples.
INBAR and similar groups believe responsibly managed bamboo fields could help achieve international goals for health, sustainability, and climate.
Bamboo vs recycled toilet paper
Which is kinder to environment?
Both bamboo and recycled toilet paper are considered eco friendly products.
While recycled toilet paper is definitely better than paper harvested from virgin trees, bamboo is actually more eco-friendly.
Bamboos grow and flourish until they flower then they produce seeds and die. Because the vast majority of bamboo species flower so infrequently, they must be harvested to stay alive.
Unlike trees, they don’t need to be replanted once they’ve been harvested.
Recycling paper into tissue takes a lot more water and energy than the minimal processing necessary to turn bamboo into toilet paper.
The process includes
Is bamboo toilet paper soft?
Bamboo toilet paper is smooth and soft to the touch. Most people are very pleased with how gentle and soft it is.
Not only it is soft, but it is also strong. Bamboo’s natural qualities make tissue that’s been tested to be stronger than recycled tissue of the same weight.
Recycled paper can be a harsher and not so nice to touch.
What about the price?
Recycled toilet paper tends to be less expensive than the bamboo ones.
With recycled toilet paper, not much time is needed to acquire the raw materials. Bamboo toilet paper, on the other hand, is imported and made from cultured bamboo which increases its price.
I recommend trying Caboo tree-free bamboo toilet paper. It`s good quality and affordable.
Is bamboo toilet paper septic-safe?
For septic tank owners this is an important question.
When you flush your toilet, the contents travel to your septic tank.
There, solids like toilet paper sink to the bottom and contribute to the layer of sludge that builds up over time.
Natural bacteria decomposes some of it, but the accumulation is the reason you need to have your septic tank pumped at regular intervals. Septic systems should be inspected and pumped at least every three to four years.
Bamboo toilet paper is 100 percent biodegradable. It also breaks well when flushed down the toilet.
Even better – there are no unusable byproducts that come from the production of the bamboo toilet paper.
That means bamboo toilet paper is safe for septic tanks as well.
