By Paul Michael
That classic scene from Seinfeld got me thinking over the weekend. Is there a strategy for using toilet paper? Is it worth our time? But when I spend money to literally flush the product down the drain, I often wonder…how much should I be flushing? Am I wasting money?
As an adult, I had never given it much thought until a comedian I was listening to pointed out that even hardnosed conservationists seem to forget their scruples in the stall. Why use a few sheets when a massive wad of paper will do the job just as well?
My mother worked out, pretty quickly, that regardless of how good the toilet paper was that she bought, we’d use the same amount; way too much. So instead of buying the luxurious double rolls with extra absorbency, she’d get standard rolls. And as kids, we never really noticed the difference, and would still pull armfuls of paper from the roll, leaving the cardboard tube spinning on the holder for a good 10 seconds.
So, what to do? Pardon the pun, but even to a frugal guy like me it seems a little anal to have a toilet paper strategy. I mean, I don’t have much of a life but I’m not at the point where I’m counting TP sheets…at least, not yet. But there are a few things I can suggest, especially with kids around.
1) Think twice about getting those expensive, luxurious rolls of paper for the kids' bathroom. Regular paper works just as well, and kids will use either one with zeal.
2) Consider having a box of baby wipes in the bathroom. On those times when things get a little messy (stomach flu anyone?) a baby wipe or two will do the work of handfuls of toilet paper. They’re designed to handle much bigger messes than regular TP.
3) Buy standard sized rolls. Double rolls actually run down quicker than two standard rolls. The reason being, we see more of the roll and subconsciously use more because there’s plenty. It’s the reason you keep seeing manufacturers up the size of the roll, so that now we need extra equipment to fit these jumbo sized rolls onto the holder.
4) Go with store brand. As I’ve said many times, there is very little difference, if any, between name brand and store brand; especially in this instance when it all ends up being flushed down the drain anyway.
5) Practice restraint. There’s no reason at all to attack the roll and pull masses of paper away with the force of Rambo starting a speedboat. Grab what you need and nothing more.
These few simple tips will save you money on a product every single one of us uses on a daily basis. Let’s save a few trees and a few bucks at the same time.
译文:
＂你能省点吗？＂五点厕纸使用妙招
文；Paul Michael
这个周末,这幅Seinfeld所拍的经典镜头让我不禁陷入了沉思.就没有一个合理使用厕纸的方法吗?值得为这花时间去想吗?但是当我花钱买纸又统统给冲进下水道时,就常在自问...我究竟哗啦啦冲掉了多少白花花的纸啊?我是在浪费钱吗?
作为一个成人,我向来并不特别在意这个问题.直到有一天,听到一个喜剧演员指出即便是最为严于律己的环保主义者也似乎忽视了厕所里的节约问题,我才对这一问题有所警觉了.当用一大沓纸和用几张纸能达到同样的效果时为什么要用几张纸呢?我母亲迅速发现了问题所在,不管她买了质量多好的厕纸,我们每次也只用那么多.因此她不再买那那种吸收性超强的双层纸,而是买那种普通的卷纸.
小孩时的我们很少真正注意到有什么不同,仍然会使劲扯一大卷纸,弄的纸筒在架子上足足要转上10秒钟.
那么该怎么做呢?请原谅这里用的双关语. 但就算是对我这样一个节俭的人来说,制定一个厕纸节约方案未免有点鸡毛蒜皮了.我想说的是,我虽然并不是很富裕,但也没沦落到要一张张数厕纸用...至少,现在还没有.但是这里我就有些小建议,尤其是有小孩在身边的时候.
1) 三思,要不要给儿童盥洗室放那些昂贵,高档的卷纸.其实普通的卷纸也就行了,小孩总是喜欢心血来潮的.
2) 可以在盥洗室放一盒婴儿擦巾.在事情有些糟糕的时候(拉肚子什么的?),一两张婴儿擦巾就专门解决这一问题了,哪里用得着用一大把普通的卷纸呢.
3) 买标准量的卷纸.事实上,一个双层卷纸比两个标准量卷纸用的还快.原因在于,你总是看到筒上的纸还多,下意识里就肆意的使用.这就是为何厂商要把卷纸量加大,好让我们就需要额外的器皿来把这种超大号的卷纸给固定住.
4) 买自有品牌的卷纸.正如我经常提到的,名牌产品和自有品牌基本没什么太大区别的.尤其是厕纸,最终还是得被水给哗哗冲走掉.
5) 学会克制. 犯不着跟一卷纸较劲,用启动高速游艇拉扯引擎的劲,扯一大堆纸下来.拧下你刚刚所需的量就行了.
这些小建议会让你在这样我们日常使用的东西上省下不少开销.省钱又环保,一举两得.