Want to Save 40,000 Trees? Buy Recycled Toilet Paper
Buy smart! Learn the most — and least — sustainable brands selling paper towels, tissues and toilet paper.
Charmin, Kleenex Cottonelle, Quilted Northern and Scott are among the toilet papers and tissues that do the most harm to forests and the environment, according to a new report by Greenpeace.
The non-profit research group evaluated dozens of brands of toilet paper, facial tissue, paper, towels, and napkins according to three criteria:
How much recycled content they contained
Using 100% recycled content helps protect forests because it significantly reduces the demand for trees, especially trees coming from native forests.How much of that was post-consumer waste
To get the top ranking, at least 50% post-consumer waste needed to be used in manufacturing the product.How the paper was bleached
The top-ranked products are not bleached using chlorine, which can create the toxic byproduct dioxin.
According to Greenpeace, Americans could save more than 400,000 trees if each family bought a roll of recycled toilet paper — just once.
Related: 11 Ways to Save Trees ... Without Planting One
The group has produced a pocket guide you can use when you shop to buy the most eco-friendly option.
Top-rated Paper Product Brands
- Green Forest
- 365 Whole Planet (available at Whole Foods)
- CVS Earth Essentials
- Seventh Generation
- Trader Joe's
- Cascades
Of course, when it comes to napkins and towels, use cloth, and avoid the paper debate altogether.
Diane MacEachern
Diane MacEachern is the author of Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World.read full bio.
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The Big Green Purse highlights the fastest, easiest, most direct route to a clean and healthy environment... read more.
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