"There is a battle for America's behinds," said David A. Fahrenthold in The Washington Post. Environmental groups say plush toilet paper is "a menace" and a "dark-comedy" example of American excess. The reason? "Plush U.S. toilet paper is usually made by chopping down and grinding up trees that were decades or even a century old," so we should follow Europe's example and wipe with tissue made from recycled paper goods.
In a world where many people wipe with "leaves or scrap paper," said Bruce Watson in Daily Finance, the "American obsession" with quilted, super-soft toilet paper "may be the pinnacle of consumer silliness." It's made in "long, chemical-laden processes," plus it's expensive. But Consumer Reports found that people often have to use more of rougher recycled and one-ply brands—so the environmental impact really isn't that great.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
‘Like a gas chamber’: the air pollution throttling DelhiUnder The Radar Indian capital has tried cloud seeding to address the crisis, which has seen schools closed and outdoor events suspended
-
Political cartoons for November 23Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include a Thanksgiving horn of plenty, the naughty list, and more
-
How will climate change affect the UK?The Explainer Met Office projections show the UK getting substantially warmer and wetter – with more extreme weather events
