The Process Used to Make Your Toilet Paper White Is Toxic, and Using it is Bad for You

Image: www.mygreenlifestyle.fr

Did you ever wonder how toilet paper (or any paper, for that matter), gets to be so white? Paper made from wood would ordinarily be brown (like paper bags or cardboard boxes) and would yellow in time (as newspaper does), so the pulp and paper industry, which some say is among the worst-polluting industries on Earth, uses chlorine and its derivatives, such as chlorine dioxide, to bleach it.

This process leads to the creation of cancer-causing chemicals like dioxins and furans, which not only enter the air but also waterways, soil and the food chain. Exposure to even low levels of dioxins has been linked to hormone alterations, immune system impairments, reduced fertility, birth defects and other reproductive problems.

How does conventional toilet paper effect you?

According to thepolivkafamily.com:

(1) It’s dry. 

(2) The chemicals it’s processed in are bad for those sensitive areas. 

(3) It leaves particles. (Gross.) 

Also, did you know that it takes 37 gallons of water, 1.3 kilowatt/hours (KWh) of electricity and some 1.5 pounds of wood to make a SINGLE roll of toilet paper? [1] Not to mention all the energy it takes to process it from our sewer system. 

Chemical-laden baby wipes are no good either. They have things like methylisothiazolinone in them, which I can’t pronounce. As a general rule, if I can’t pronounce it (or eat it), then I don’t put it in or on my body. 

For years now, I’ve been getting really thin tears “down there” that feel like paper cuts. I’ve now learned that these are called vaginal fissures and can be caused by certain soaps, artificial fragrances, tampons, scented or colored panty liners, and paper toilet paper. When I got married, these vaginal fissures became even more of a problem, as they made intercourse very painful. 

Think about how MUCH bleached, processed plant material we put in that area! Tampons. Disposable pads. Toilet paper. It’s all highly processed and full of chemicals, and we put it RIGHT THERE all up in our most sensitive bits! 

The solution? Eating a balanced diet (check!) and cloth toilet paper. (I also gave up tampons to use a Mooncup instead, but that’s a different post!)

How to make cloth toilet paper: 

According to thepolivkafamily.com:

First, get some organic flannel patterns that you just adore. (I am seriously in love with these little birds!) Then, I suggest you get a cute little fabric bin to put the finished squares in. Simply cut, double layer, and sew into squares. Then you’re done! 

And if you’re really concerned about bacteria, instead of throwing the used cloths into a dry bin, you can throw them into a vinegar and water solution, and perhaps add a little tea tree oil, as well. Voilà! 

Many people around the world prefer to rinse first, using bidets, some sort of water bottle or vessel, or even spray bottles. With family cloth, we use a mini spray bottle in conjunction with the cloth. We only ever need to use one square at a time; and overall, it seems much more hygienic than regular paper toilet paper, which sometimes doesn’t get everything and can leave paper particles. 

Source: thepolivkafamily.com & GMO free Chick on Facebook

19-Year-Old Develops Ocean Cleanup Array That Could Remove 7 Million Tons Of Plastic From the Ocean

Image: boyanslat.com

19-year-old Boyan Slat has unveiled plans to create an Ocean Cleanup Array that could remove 7,250,000 tons of plastic waste from the world’s oceans. The device consists of an anchored network of floating booms and processing platforms that could be dispatched to garbage patches around the world. Instead of moving through the ocean, the array would span the radius of a garbage patch, acting as a giant funnel. The angle of the booms would force plastic in the direction of the platforms, where it would be separated from plankton, filtered and stored for recycling.

At school, Boyan Slat launched a project that analyzed the size and amount of plastic particles in the ocean’s garbage patches. His final paper went on to win several prizes, including Best Technical Design 2012 at the Delft University of Technology. Boyan continued to develop his concept during the summer of 2012, and he revealed it several months later at TEDxDelft 2012.



Slat went on to found The Ocean Cleanup Foundation, a non-profit organization which is responsible for the development of his proposed technologies. His ingenious solution could potentially save hundreds of thousands of aquatic animals annually, and reduce pollutants (including PCB and DDT) from building up in the food chain. It could also save millions per year, both in clean-up costs, lost tourism and damage to marine vessels.

Image: boyanslat.com

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It is estimated that the clean-up process would take about five years, and it could greatly increase awareness about the world’s plastic garbage patches. On his site Slat says, “One of the problems with preventive work is that there isn’t any imagery of these ‘garbage patches’, because the debris is dispersed over millions of square kilometres. By placing our arrays hcowever, it will accumulate along the booms, making it suddenly possible to actually visualize the oceanic garbage patches. We need to stress the importance of recycling, and reducing our consumption of plastic packaging.” To find out more about the project and to contribute, click here.

Source: Raw For Beauty via INHABITAT.COM