Paper Towels - do you use them?

[Morning Glory]

Plus I don't have enough clothing to last 2 weeks without washing and don't tumble dry anything. I don't have one.

No tumble drier here either. I just use a drying rack indoors. A large drying rack. I wear same clothes for a few days a time when at home - change of underwear and top every other day or so. So I'm not using a lot of clothes. I do have a lot of clothes though, which is another story!

 

[Morning Glory]

Back to paper towels. I'm going to try to change my habits and use washable J-cloths instead, for as much as possible.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

No tumble drier here either. I just use a drying rack indoors. A large drying rack. I wear same clothes for a few days a time when at home - change of underwear and top every other day or so. So I'm not using a lot of clothes. I do have a lot of clothes though, which is another story!

I should also point out that having answered this for this moment in time m there are currently 4 adults living in this household and I only have enough bedding for 1 bed being changed once a week and that being being done once a fortnight. Right now is the reserve (being being done once a week) simply because of a lack of bedding. I have 4 adults in the house for all of November.
The extra load of clothes is also because of 4 adults and 6 'sick' chickens which need their legs doing twice a day. They are not impressed and others in the household expect us the be wearing cleaner clothes in their presence . Ordinarily, I'd just wear the dirty clothes for a couple of days until someone next was going to see me, other than hubby. But if I'd been home rather than in hospital ,the chickens wouldn't be needing their legs doing, but that is another story entirely !

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I find 2 medium loads easier to cope with than 1 large load.

Agreed. My machine also gets clothes cleaner first time around when it's a half to two thirds load so uses less chemicals ,though everything I use must be septic tank friendly .

No tumble drier here either. I just use a drying rack indoors. A large drying rack

I avoid drying indoors because it makes the house damp and that's not good for my health. Normally clothes are worn for several days in a row .it's just with sick chickens ...well they are like sick children , they get you dirty much faster than ordinarily .

 

[Morning Glory]

I should also point out that having answered this for this moment in time m there are currently 4 adults living in this household and I only have enough bedding for 1 bed being changed once a week and that being being done once a fortnight. Right now is the reserve (being being done once a week) simply because of a lack of bedding. I have 4 adults in the house for all of November.
The extra load of clothes is also because of 4 adults and 6 'sick' chickens which need their legs doing twice a day. They are not impressed and others in the household expect us the be wearing cleaner clothes in their presence . Ordinarily, I'd just wear the dirty clothes for a couple of days until someone next was going to see me, other than hubby. But if I'd been home rather than in hospital ,the chickens wouldn't be needing their legs doing, but that is another story entirely !

I understand. I'm going to think more about when and how I use resources. Its easier now the kids have left as they produced ridiculous amounts of washing and used electricity a lot for computers etc.

Having in-laws for the whole of November must be stressful.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Back to paper towels. I'm going to try to change my habits and use washable J-cloths instead, for as much as possible.

Good. You'll find cotton clothes are easier and last much longer. Plus they'll be cheaper in the long run .just pick up a ball of organic cotton and knit a few .those test tags whilst you remember how to knit (knitting is excellent physiotherapy for hands and fingers especially those with issues ) are ideal dish cloths!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Having in-laws for the whole of November must be stressful.

It is. I have a morning without them at the hospital. Curiously despite having to get up at 5:30am (and only 2C this morning with no heating ) and spending from 8am to 1pm at hospital ,I'm less stressed than being at home all day. From Monday onwards I get them to myself for the rest of the month. I get to ferry them everywhere because they are not driving whilst they are here despite the being fewer vehicles on the road and life generally being much easier on the roads than Manchester . I'm not looking forward to it at all. Ironically today at the hospital is a pain management course about pacing and stress management. ..

 

[buckytom]

SNSSO, you would cry if I brought you to a dozen or more buildings on Park Ave or the West side of Central park in NYC when temp drop below 5°C.

There are many doorman buildings for the ultra-rich that have a marquee built on the front of the buildings that have thousands upon thousands of watts of infra-red lamps shining down on the rich folks that might be entering or exiting.

All day long.

It becomes discouraging to want to live the practical and hopeful way that you have mentioned.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

It becomes discouraging to want to live the practical and hopeful way that you have mentioned

That is how we live . Everything that can be done is . I just wish the house had solar panels but the batteries required to live off grid completely agree actually not that environmentally friendly at end of life. But all my rechargeable batteries are recharged by solar energy. If you put your mind to it ,it is possible . Electricity is our only ongoing service.

Even in hospital I had the air con turned off in my room, the windows open or the blind down . I recycled what I could including taking containers home. Cardboard ,paper, plastic was all taken to the recycling point once I was over my initial operation and back in my wheelchair . When I wasn't well enough to leave my room, my husband took it to the recycling for me.
It is all a matter of wanting to . All the other patient went past the reviling point three times a day . Few used it which I found very disheartening.

As for 5C, well that is a warm day in winter here ,so I'm used to it. I've worked in similar conditions . I lived in much colder . I lived on the road (quite recently) for a year camping in all weathers and temperatures . Cycling in -15C daytime temperatures. Obviously nights are colder. I don't live in a hot part of Australia. The snowy mountains are not far from where we live along with ski resorts and geothermal pools. Admittedly I've not yet been in the pools but that is related to disabled access to them not for want of trying.

If you really want to ,small changes are easily made to your life style making much bigger impact on the environment. Solar technology is there now and good enough to work even in the very far north. I know because I have used it 7-8 years ago when I was last north of the Arctic circle where I lived for some 4-5 months or so .

 

[rascal]

Only for draining chips etc, or fritters. We have a LOT of tea towels here.

Russ

 

[rascal]

Reading through some of these posts, a lot here are conscious of their footprint. My kids are also very conscious, but I'm not. I guess it goes back to my childhood where we didn't have much. I never had a holiday outside my area until I was about 13. Our power bill is quite high because I refuse to suffer the cold in winter ,The house is always a nice constant temperature. I recently sold my V8 but still have another V8 and a V6. I've always loved my cars so that's just me. I know I should try harder but that's just me. My grandkids are also good at recycling so they should balance out.

Russ