We live in such an exciting time because the world is starting to shift into a much more ecofriendly direction. Recycling is of the utmost importance and harsh chemicals are a thing of the past. Today there are arguably more green products than ever all working to help this big beautiful earth we all call home to flourish. In fact, one common bathroom staple has had quite the “glow-up” with many ecofriendly alternatives now available for use – toilet paper.
We use it every single day, but most people know very little about traditional toilet tissue. For an example, did you know that 27,000 trees are cut down every single day to make it? Deforestation is a rapidly growing issue that can lead to soil erosion, loss of habitats for animals, increased flooding, and loss of homeland for many communities.
That is because toilet paper is made from virgin trees. Besides being beautiful, trees absorb CO2, influence rainfall, filter water, produce oxygen, provide habitat, keep soil intact and give us wood, medicine, and food. They are major constituents of the world’s forests which is home to about 80% of the biodiversity that exists on land – millions of people live in forests.
It goes without saying that trees play such an important role to the environment. However, toilet paper is a necessity. The good news is that there are ecofriendly options now available like bamboo toilet paper. If you are wondering what bamboo toilet paper means, then keep reading because we’ve got you covered!
Bamboo Toilet Paper
Bamboo is a type of grass that is quickly becoming one of the super plants of the future. It is very easy to grow and is actually the fastest growing plant in the world making it an exceptional ecofriendly option to replace paper. In fact, bamboo can grow 3ft in just 24 hours and can be harvested once a year without needing to be replanted. Bamboo toilet paper uses 30% less water than hardwood trees and gives out 35% more oxygen than trees. This means that an acre of bamboo can fix around 25 metric tons of atmospheric CO2 per year.
Bamboo is an extremely renewable resource that grows profusely throughout many regions of the world. For instance, bamboo has been growing for millions of years in Southeast Asia. Clear cutting trees degrades forests by leaving behind dead zones along their edges or even in the midst of them. This wipes out what was once a flourishing and healthy forest ecosystem to a field of broken soil. Sure, technically trees are considered a renewable resource as well, but they are very slow to grow and take decades to reach maturity. In addition, tree seedlings can be planted for every tree that is cut down, but in many cases, this simply is not happening.
According to the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency, one tree produces roughly one hundred pounds of toilet paper in which around eighty-three million rolls are produced each day. Since bamboo grows back almost as fast as it is chopped down, it is a much better paper option than trees.
Bamboo toilet paper is a revolutionary development that can help to support the prevention of deforestation, reduce paper consumption, and is much more biodegradable than its counterpart. With so many trees being cut down to make something that is so short lived as toilet paper, why not reach for an ecofriendly option? If you are someone that is trying to find a way to make a difference in protecting this planet, we all call home, a small change such as switching to bamboo toilet paper can help!