Actully it is more than just toilet paper that we are discussing here, it is paper use in general.  But due to the specific, uh, touchy nature of the topic of toilet paper, we’ve created a separate page for dealing with the topic.

Western society has adopted a set of processes and protocols around bodily sanitation that combines practical, useful aspects and others that are perhaps more psychological than logical in their origins and effects.  We shun talk of our excretory bodily functions and prefer to hide all traces of the fact that we all, from pauper to king, from peasant to president, pee and poop on a more or less daily basis.

There is an entire industry devoted to producing a mind-boggling array of quilted, softer, plusher, printed, pleated and all manner of toilet tissue… all of which will get a single, unflattering use, then be immediately disposed of down the tubes.  Why on earth use virgin wood pulp to produce this quintessentially disposable product?

Check out these links for brands of recycled toilet tissue, as well as other categories of papers like paper towels, facial tissue, and paper napkins.

• NRDC - Shopper’s Guide to Home Tissue Products
• TreeCycle - Recycled Tissue Products… An online vendor of recycled paper products.  Since price is often our excuse for buying the ‘virgin’ paper products we are stuck on, buying in bulk will help bridge the gap.  But then also, we MUST as a society undo our habit of making our decisions based upon price alone, or price above all.
• Grist - An Affinity that Chafes our Ends.  Debunking the idea that recycled toilet papers need be uncomfortable to use.
• Ready to rethink toilet paper for Earth Day? (or any day) from MSNBC

See also Toilet Etiquette.