Major retailers such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are stacking their shelves with sustainable toilet paper, and one expert suggested this is a positive sign for eco-minded consumers.
"If more people are buying sustainable toilet paper and demanding it, there should be economies of scale and prices should fall to match that of conventional toilet paper," Kory Russel, assistant professor of landscape architecture and environmental studies at the University of Oregon, told the Associated Press, which examined the rise of sustainable paper choices.
The news outlet said the United States could save 1.6 million trees and 1 billion gallons of water if every American swapped a roll of toilet paper made from forest fibers for a recycled option, according to the Environmental Paper Network, a coalition focused on sustainable industry.
Traditionally, manufacturers use harsh chemicals and require tons of electricity to transform freshly cut trees into toilet paper. Recycled paper, however, typically uses cleaner bleaching techniques and supports biodiversity by minimizing deforestation and habitat loss.
Gary Bull, professor emeritus of forest economics at the University of British Columbia, told the AP that paper is "one of the easiest materials on the planet to recycle" and said consumers should keep an eye out for recycled content. However, not all recycled toilet paper is the same.
Each year since 2019, the Natural Resources Defense Council has released its annual The Issue with Tissue, a buyer's guide to sustainable at-home tissue products.
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Last year's edition ranked both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's toilet paper in the top five, with A-plus scores of 580 out of 600.
The only brand with a higher mark was Aria at 590. Amazon Basics failed with a score of 0, demonstrating how sustainability within a company's portfolio can drastically vary. Amazon owns 365 by Whole Foods Market 100% Recycled.
Already popular in many parts of Europe and Asia, bidets are also beginning to take over U.S. bathrooms. Over a 10-year span, a bidet could save you hundreds of dollars on toilet paper. You'll also reduce water waste, as manufacturing toilet paper is water-intensive no matter how you cut it.
"You're not using any sort of logging, it's water that's already coming to your household, and it's very little water," Russel told the AP.
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