Three Things I Could Live Without: The Bath Mat, the Paper Towel, and the Cocktail Napkin

When I buy something, I try to ask myself, do I really need this? Living in a minimal way doesn't have to be about sacrifice -- in fact, it can actually be liberating to remove the clutter around you. It can give you back cash, physical and mental space. People like Brian Jones, who had everything he owned stolen in the rental truck he packed up the day before he moved remind us of this. Less is indeed often More.

Here are three things that I've noticed I don't need:



The Bath Mat
It's a fixture in the bathroom but I've always wondered why. I dry off in the tub or shower where any drips are contained. Easy. No need for a bath mat that I have to buy, wash, dry, replace etc...



The Paper Towel
These things are expensive, take up space, and kill trees. According to the EPA, paper and paperboard products constitute the largest portion of municipal solid waste (MSW). Just go cloth. Anything that is designed for a one-time use should be re-examined, but the paper towel is enemy #1. And c'mon people!...it's not that hard to use a dishtowel. You don't even have to buy one...cut up some of your wrecked clothing and you're good to go.

The Cocktail Napkin
The cocktail napkin has a pathetic five-second life: From bartenders hand to bar to sticky mess on the bottom of your glass. An empty symbol of "good service," it rarely serves any purpose whatsoever. A sturdy coaster could do the job and live to see another day. Heck, it's not as if you're worried about stains on the bar anyway.

This is a quick list of some of mine. What's on your list? Please comment below!

::More From Graham Hill on Huffington Post

More From Huffington Post on Waste
::Top 10 Most Useless Items of Crapola

More From TreeHugger on Paper Waste
::A Picture is Worth... Watch the Amazon Go Down in Paper
::Greener Dryer Better: LCA of Hand Dryers vs. Paper Towels
::Non-Ode to a Cocktail Napkin

How to Green Your Kitchen
::How to Green Your Kitchen
::Clean Up Your Kitchen

On Living Minimal
::A Story about Losing, Leaving and Buying It All Back

Photos: Sean Justice/Getty Images; Bix Burkhart /Getty Images; Tariq Dajani /Getty Images

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Comments

[MOwest]

I can see getting rid of a bath mat, and I already prefer not using a bar napkin, but the paper towels is a tough one. They are so convenient. There has to be a better solution than a dish towel. What would I use to wipe my hands and mouth while eating? Or to wipe peanut butter off of the butter knife after making a slice of peanut butter toast? Or to clean up the minor spill on the kitchen floor? I wouldn't want to use a dish towel for that, and then dry off a plate.

[Cathexis]

You make some good points, Mr Hill.

Here is an underlying theme I am seeing: "Labor is a "cost" and disposable solutions are considered "cheaper," even when highly wasteful. It becomes cheaper to distribute cocktail napkins than hire someone to wash the coasters for reuse. It's cheaper to swipe paper towels and toss them than pay someone to to launder a bar rag or dish towel (in a restaurant).

We've assimilated this philosophy as individuals, prizing the iota of time saved ove rthe cost of purchasing disposables.

This is the same reason, though, why it is cheaper to toss your broken DVD player and buy a new one, rather than repair the one you own.

[iamjoneskeepupwithme]

i try to waste as little as possible, but i gotta say that as a pet owner, i really do need paper towels. just yesterday, one of my cats who clearly was not feeling well, left me multiple presents all over my apartment. i use pptowels to clean up the pet nasties only and i pay a little more to buy the ones made of 100% recycled material. i use dish cloths and cloth napkins for all things in the kitchen/co­oking/eati­ng.

[Stacie Krajchir - Huffpost Blogger]

I actually went shopping last night and drove by the toilet paper section of teh grocery store and swooped up some eco TP. I have a little cold and went to grab tissue paper and said "No I just really don't need these...." so I loved reading your three things , it was a gentle reminder.... as I am certain there are so many more "I just don't need this" moments ahead.

[noneIn2008]

You've started to touch on the #1 non green action, consumerism.
An approach, buy nothing advertised on TV. Break the consumerism habit.

[JScott]

I kinda learned that as a kid after getting some really crappy stuff that was advertised on TV.
Now it's easier to ff thru that with a VCR or DVR. Interesting tho that most stuff advrertised on TV I wouldn't want anyway. Guess it's kinda like coupons for the grocery items that I don't buy anyway.
Hey corporate america I for one would like you to stop selling us crap we don't want or need and start making good stuff that people will want to buy.

[DavidWojick]

I use up a 47 sq. ft. roll of paper towells every other day or so. Guess I am either a lot dirtier or a lot cleaner than you are. Washing 47 sq. ft. of rags that often takes a lot of energy -- washer, dryer, hot water. But maybe you don't wash your rags that often.
David Wojick http://www.climatechangedebate.org

[JScott]

I don't understand the bath mat either I just have a rug in the bath. Paper towels-I quit using years ago, I have plenty of rags. Cocktail napkins-I thought those were just collectables from demolished Las Vegas casinos and for the witty sayings/jokes on them.

[MsCanada]

Personally, I'm not partial to going flying across the room on a slippery floor. I'll keep the bathmat and avoid broken bones.

[GrahamHill]

MsCanada: The technique I use is to completely dry off in the tub or shower before stepping out.

[jmcallahan]

I haven't bought gift wrap/boxes/bags in years. Instead, I prefer useful items such as tea towels, laundry bags, tins/cannisters, flower pots and funky purses from a thrift shop. I've cut the tops off of laundry soap boxes, recycled jars and tea cannisters and of course, old baskets. Egg cartons make fun gift boxes for young children. My one-of-a-kind wrap doesn't cost as much as professional paper/boxes/bags and unless I want to make a project of something, it doesn't take any more time. I save gas because instead of heading to the store for gift wrap, I just just look around the house for whatever will fit or match the gift.
In return, friends and family now give me gifts wrapped in all kinds of imaginative, useful and recycled, containers.