Recently, a friend of mine came over to my house and asked if I had a napkin that she might use so that she could finish eating her lunch. Naturally, I guided her to the proper drawer that she needed. She gratefully opened it, but then was taken aback, because what she saw was a linen
napkin, not a paper one. With a perplexed tone, she asserted "But, you'll have to wash it." Unfortunately, my response was a weak one. I like to explain things so that people understand the 'whys' behind my actions, but in the case, without elucidating, I simply stated that I am green. That's well and good, but what does being 'green' have to do with not having disposable paper napkins? To answer that question, I need to back up a bit.
napkin, not a paper one. With a perplexed tone, she asserted "But, you'll have to wash it." Unfortunately, my response was a weak one. I like to explain things so that people understand the 'whys' behind my actions, but in the case, without elucidating, I simply stated that I am green. That's well and good, but what does being 'green' have to do with not having disposable paper napkins? To answer that question, I need to back up a bit.
A few years ago, I was in the midst of breaking down some boxes after an event. I neatly stacked one flattened box on top of another, when suddenly I not only bared witness to the twenty or so boxes that I had just broken down, I saw in my mind's eye all the boxes that are sent around the world every day. Boxes are used so that we can have food at our grocery stores and restaurants. They are utilized to send any product to every retail store. Whether the product is clothing, jewelry, plumbing supplies, or anything you can think of, it all comes in a box. Even when we order something to be delivered to our home, how do we find it when it arrives? It is inevitably packaged in a box. Sadly, the list goes on...and on...and on.
I next realized that paper not only makes up these boxes we use, but all the books and newspapers and magazines, as well. That is when it hit me like a thunderbolt cracking down upon my head. It takes an enormous amount of trees to create all of these so-called convenient items for us. When I did a little investigating I discovered that 3-6 billion (that is billion with a 'b') trees are cut down every single year, so that we can ship products, read a book and wipe our faces. According to Brant Olson, that amount of trees is equivalent to the size of Ireland. Well, that simply will not do.
My first order of business was to buy a kindle, so that my books would be downloaded instead of coming from a tree. I then decided it was high time to have linen napkins. I will never again buy a batch of paper napkins from a grocery store. It's just not worth it.
It's not simply that trees are pretty things that are nice to have around. They are a part of what makes planet Earth a whole and complete Being. Their roots are connected with one another creating great families. Many species live amongst the trees, creating a symbiotic unit. As for us, we absolutely and categorically need our planet's trees to survive. While we breathe in oxygen, we exhale the carbon dioxide that the trees, in turn, breathe in, while they exhale the oxygen that we need. It is a circle that must not be broken. Sadly, with the deforestation that big business is promoting, we have a serious problem. It's no wonder there is such an influx of asthmatics these days. We don't have enough trees!
Don't be fooled that the clearing out of the Amazon rainforest doesn't affect us in the Northern Hemisphere. Andre Bartschi states, "With the forests gone, CO2 is no longer transformed through photosynthesis, and the crops that replace forests only absorb a fraction of CO2 compared to rainforests. Along with industrial pollution, rampant deforestation in South America and elsewhere has significantly increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere." This means that no matter where we are, we are affected by this rapid deforestation.
Basically, and much to my chagrin, we have been brainwashed by the manufacturer's to think that paper products are a necessary part of our lives. Who says that washing table linens is a difficult task? I do my laundry anyway. Why not throw in a few extra cloths. What is the big deal?
Besides which, if we think of it from an economic standpoint, how much money would be saved by the consumer if we only purchase and use linen cloths? To give you an idea, I spent $4 on four sage-green linen napkins and they will be able to be used and re-used for several years. Bounty Quilted Napkins, on the other hand, are $2.97 a packet at Walmart and after the package is used up, the person has to buy more...and more...and more. Of course, that is exactly what the manufacturer wants. Just think, if every single person decided not to buy into the propaganda that corporations and PR agencies fill our heads with, the amount of landfill would diminish and we would have more trees to cherish—and that is a very good thing indeed.
Besides which, if we think of it from an economic standpoint, how much money would be saved by the consumer if we only purchase and use linen cloths? To give you an idea, I spent $4 on four sage-green linen napkins and they will be able to be used and re-used for several years. Bounty Quilted Napkins, on the other hand, are $2.97 a packet at Walmart and after the package is used up, the person has to buy more...and more...and more. Of course, that is exactly what the manufacturer wants. Just think, if every single person decided not to buy into the propaganda that corporations and PR agencies fill our heads with, the amount of landfill would diminish and we would have more trees to cherish—and that is a very good thing indeed.
So, when I was asked why I would want to wash a linen napkin instead of being able to simply throw away a paper napkin after I use it, I should have given the answer, "Because I love, honor and respect the trees."
Thank you for reading about my Organic Bliss!
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