One million trees worldwide are cut down each year to make toilet paper. Is it more sustainable to grow your own?

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/41960022

Plectranthus barbatus grows to its full height in 1-2 months from a cutting and the cutting itself costs around 50 Kenyan shillings ($0.37).

“The leaves are similar in size to an industrial toilet paper square, making them suitable for use in modern flush toilets or for composting in latrines,” says Odhiambo.

They emit a minty, lemony fragrance. Covered in tiny hairs, the leaves have a soft texture.

  • federal reverse@feddit.orgEnglish
    4·
    14 days ago

    One drawback is that wastewater and disposal systems, especially in Europe, aren’t designed to handle this type of paper

    I guess those French households with excrement-hacking toilets might finally be at an advantage…? Of course, apartments with such bad plumbing are unlikely to have a garden, so tant pis.

    “I use a compost toilet. The leaves go back to the earth and produce soil, which can then support food growth. It’s a closed-loop system, […]”

    Presumably the guy from Florida buys at least some of his food in a supermarket. He’ll end up with a lot more nutrients than he should, and it’s not really a loop anymore.

    WEPA has developed a new method using recycled cardboard to produce toilet paper, which does not involve bleaching the fibres, a spokesperson says.

    Was not accepted in this household, because brown also is the color the thing you smear on it. So back to bleached (but recycled) paper.

    (Massive props to the BBC for including the Gates Foundation end card in the video. The segment is going to do great with the kinds of people who are already worried about 15-minute cities and the Rainforest Alliance logo. “Gates wants to take away MY precious 5-layer pure-teak old-growth TP!?”)

    • jol@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      7·
      14 days ago

      Recycled paper is way less brown than poop, in don’t know what you’re talking about…

      Anyway, I use a bidet 9/10 times and a towel. No toilet paper needed.

      • federal reverse@feddit.orgEnglish
        1·
        13 days ago

        It wasn’t me who complained. I believe it had something to do with both insufficient contrast between bottom layer and spread and excessive beigeness for the other person.