Earth Day and The Paper Police

Earth day started the year I was born, in 1970. It is a day to bring about awareness and appreciation of our environment. I think about nature and the environment a lot, but realize not everyone else does. I think it's great that we have a day that might bring "the environment" into the forefront of people's minds who don't ordinarily think about it, if even just for a few minutes, just to get the wheels turning.

Today I'll be continuing my own ongoing battle for the environment on a micro-level, with my MIL over her paper towel usage at my house. Yes, there are days when I throw up my hands and remind myself I must choose my battles wisely, but today I'm not holding back.

I do have cloth napkins in my napkin holder, to prevent the quick grab of a paper napkin, and this works most of the time. I do understand that paper towels work better to dry things like wineglasses, etc. to prevent spots. And I admit I do use them to clean the mirrors in my house (when I get around to that - its low priority over here). However, for the general use of wiping down my granite counter top in the kitchen, its really not necessary. I wipe it down with a regular dishcloth, and then dry it with a microfiber towel. Or if I really want to make it shiny, I have a special cleaner and microfiber cloth which makes it look gorgeous. I am just talking about your typical, cleaning crumbs off the counter cleaning. Sure, if there was raw chicken juice on my counter I would use an antibacterial cleaner and a  paper towel that I could throw away. But this is not the case 99% of the time. When I get home, there are usually 5 used paper towels sitting on my counter - which detracts from the fact that its clean - that my well-meaning MIL used to wipe my granite down.

I have asked quizzically a few times, What are these for? because they are just sitting there. And I have suggested gently alternate cleaning methods and how I don't like to waste paper towels. For some reason this translates to her that I am cheap and don't want to buy paper towels. She's shown up here with a couple rolls here and there. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY. Sure, I bet we save a few bucks by conserving paper towels. But it's about the trees, lady. It's about the trees.