Friday, October 8, 2010

Passing through the Paper Aisle in the Store

I keep asking myself what people did before we had all these modern convenience things that we take for granted.   I also ask myself what I would do if this was the very last time I would ever have ____.  How would I use it?

The first product in this aisle that I stopped buying was paper towel.  Actually, it was pretty easy and painless.  Most of my 'rags' weren't even decent enough to keep around as rags.  So, into the trash they went and out came the scissors to make new rags of varying sizes out of Bill's old T shirts (shhhhhh) and some ratty old towels.  I keep them in a kitchen drawer, handy to grab whenever I need to clean up a mess.  Give it a rinse, and into the laundry room, no problem.

Napkins?  Well, I don't use many, and I can live without them.  I have some designated washcloths in the kitchen drawer that I'm comfortable using as napkins.  Bill?  Not so comfortable with that system.  Most of our friends and family?  Really not okay with that system.  What's the big deal here, people?  Granted, I don't expect you to carry washcloths or cloth napkins so you can wipe special sauce off your chin at the local burger place during your lunch hour, but is it so bad to use cloth instead of paper at my house or (gasp) at your own house?

Plastic wrap - I have a roll that has lasted several years.  Most of the leftovers go into refrigerator dishes that have lids.  If it's staying in the serving bowl, often times a plate will fit as a lid.  I haven't decided if I'm going to buy those reusable plastic things with the elastic yet.  For some reason, they remind me of my mother's shower cap.  I remember her using them when I was a kid, though...and I hated washing them.

Aluminum foil - I now buy the recycled foil, and I recycle it, too.  I use it as many times as I can before it heads to the recycle bin.  I still try not to use it though.

Freezer bags - When I have to buy them, I usually buy freezer bags. They are thicker, and I can use them many times before they spring a leak.  I had some that were almost three years old before they ended up in the trash.  I wash them and put them in the empty dishwasher to air dry (with the door cracked), or hang them on the Indian clothesline.  If they have had raw meat in them, they go into the trash.  But I try not to use them for that.  I usually keep a few plastic bread wrappers around here for when I bake bread, so sometimes other things can go in them, too.

Paper plates, cups, bowls, plastic spoons, etc. - I don't buy them, won't buy them.

Toilet paper - Ehhhhhhh, this is one thing that I won't ration or go without.  If I had to, I could do something else, but you know?  As long as I don't have to use rags, or leaves and grass, I'll probably keep buying this.  Ditto with personal products.

Tissues - I don't have a stash of hankies.  Bill does have a stack of hankerchiefs, but we both use tissues.  Funny, now that I think about it, it's been a while since I saw a hankerchief in the laundry.  I had to ask him  about it just now.  He said that he still carries one in his pocket for emergencies when he's working.  Like when he feels a sneeze coming on or thinks he has a booger hanging.  Ahhh, that's my Bill, he's very tidy.

Trash bags - I almost forgot about those.  I use plastic grocery sacks in the bathrooms and laundry waste baskets.  We take our cloth bags when we get groceries, but still end up with some plastic bags.  We also have friends that refuse to recycle, so I can get a mountain of plastic bags from them if I need to.  I do buy cheap kitchen trash bags, but since I recycle and compost everything, it takes a while before it's full.  Often times, I can just empty the trash and use the bag again.  I'd like to use a waste basket in the kitchen, (and of course, the 'free' plastic bag) but Bill thought he was taking out the trash way too often.

Did I miss anything?