I have actually already started to try to implement this by instituting a cloth napkin rule at dinner time. Still, I am tempted to conveniently reach for the paper towel when wiping up the kitchen counter or a child-created spill on the floor.... My saving grace, I suppose, is that I only buy recycled paper towels. But, they are not 100% post-consumer content, so I should stop trying to convince myself that no trees are being killed to afford me some sense of convenience. So, there you go.
My grandma unloaded a bag of cloth napkins (various patterns of 1970's brown; nice) on me, which has helped get the ball rolling. Anastasia is getting into the habit of setting the table (one of her jobs!) with cloth napkins. Jason is resisting using his, which remains nicely folded at the end of every meal....
The next step will be making or finding more cleaning cloths.
Crochet some!! And now, aren't you glad I left you with all of those cloth napkins?!?! I am - because I am not going to attempt this challenge.
ReplyDeletegood on you - small steps and then when you look back you can hardly remember taking any and are still amazed at how far you have come!
ReplyDeleteI used old t-shirts for dusting and ugly towels for wiping up kitchen messes! Good luck and love the blog!
ReplyDeleteWell! Now that you have a SERGER - tackle those old worn out towels. That's what I do. When the towels get all frayed on the edges, degenerated past the "use for floors" stage and degraded lower than "dry off the dog's feet" towels, I whack them into quarters, cut off all the unraveled edges and serge the sides. Instant cleaning cloths.
ReplyDeleteMy husband brought home a package of paper towels last week when he went grocery shopping for my while I was sick. I don't know WHERE that came from, since I haven't purchased paper towels for the house in over a year! Maybe hon only just noticed...hahaha. I'm returning them this week when I go to the store.
I hear you. Just blogged about the same thing, for our March 'small change'. Paper towels are just so easy sometimes...but I think we can do it!
ReplyDeleteGood for you! My January change was to give up paper towels. It was much easier than I thought. I found lots of cute cloths on etsy. We haven't used paper towels at home except to wipe out the litter box after I wash it. I'm not using cloth for that! Anyway, now if I could figure out how to get rid of paper towels in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteha ha what is it with those stubborn Husbands? Not only will you be saving trees, you'll have more $ to spend on fabric!
ReplyDelete