Reusable toilet paper and bidet

Sustainable solutions not always appealing

It comes as no surprise that many reusable items, such as reusable toilet paper, have gained appeal when you consider sustainability. Although it can sound nasty or unsanitary, it may be a good alternative.

The world’s largest consumer of toilet paper is the United States (a fact that was made quite evident by the toilet paper panic at the start of the pandemic).

As mentioned here, Americans are predicted to use 141 rolls of toilet paper per year, outpacing Germany (134 rolls) and the United Kingdom (127). It’s not the best picture for the U.S. compared to nations like France (71), Italy (70), China (49), and Brazil (38).

The consumption of 36.5 billion rolls of toilet paper annually in the United States, results in the pulping of almost 15 million trees, involving 473,587,500,000 gallons of water to produce the paper and 253,000 tons of chlorine for bleaching.

In addition, 17.3 terawatts of electricity are needed to manufacture all that toilet paper, not to mention the energy and resources required for packaging and shipping. Toilet paper can clog pipes, ruin city sewer systems, and damage water treatment facilities.

How can nations like Italy and Brazil manage with such a small amount of toilet paper? The answer is the bidet.

Although many people throughout the world find using toilet paper less preferred than using a bidet, Americans often dislike using the latter. The fact that using toilet paper is less environmentally friendly than using a stream of water to clean your bum is something that many non-Americans understand well.

Although it may seem like a bidet uses a lot of water each time you use it, the average bidet only uses about 1/8 gallon. In contrast, the typical toilet flush uses around four gallons.

Fortunately, using reusable toilet paper is a more environmentally friendly option than using all that regular toilet paper. If you believe it’s disgusting to reuse toilet paper, you may want to match it with a bidet (we can’t say we blame you).

After you have thoroughly cleaned yourself with the bidet, all you’ll be doing is wiping the water away (much like toweling off after a shower). When you’re finished using them, just toss the washable “toilet paper” and ordinary toilet paper roll into the laundry.