Cloth napkins offer many advantages
Paper napkins and towels not needed!

Judy Mello has enjoyed years of use out of these attractive cloth napkins.

She saves both money and  trees by not buying paper napkins or paper towels.

This checkered napkin was an easy to make gift. 
   

    When it comes to napkins, cloth is not only the right choice for the environment, but usually looks a lot better! By using cloth, we avoid using up and throwing away tree pulp which is used to make paper. We protect trees and communities.
    Often tree pulp comes from large eucalyptus plantations in Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, and other tropical or near tropical countries.  The trees suck so much water and nutrients from the ground that the eucalyptus plantations are described as “green deserts”. Natural habitat is destroyed. Streams and wells run dry, and people living in the area are often forced to leave because they are no longer able to grow food or raise livestock. As the demand for paper increases, more forest area, including rainforest, is cut down to make room for more tree plantations. The energy and chemicals used to transform tree pulp to paper cause environmental problems as well.
    You can help by using cloth napkins and cleaning cloths. A handy stack of cleaning cloths will make the switch from paper towels easier. Napkins and cleaning cloths take up almost no space in the laundry, so no extra loads are needed. 
    It’s easy and fun to make cloth napkins.  Many fabric stores such as Wilderness Road Quilt Company in Danville, sell sets of coordinating quilting pieces that can serve as napkins.  Trim the pieces to the size you want and fray the edges. No sewing is needed. This makes a great project for kids!
    Judy Mello recommends “flour sack” dish towels for cleaning cloths. They only cost about one dollar each, last for years, and are big enough to cut into four cloths if you want.
    Help the environment even more, and save money by using cloth taken from used clothing, table cloths, or towels that are no longer wanted.
    The more use you get out of your cloth, the more environmentally friendly choosing cloth is. Judy Mello notices that her napkins seem to improve with washings. She has some that look great after over 30 years.
    As for bathroom tissue, find a brand that is made from recycled paper and has as much “post-consumer content” as you can find. Locally, CVS “4,000”  or “12,000 sheets”  has 100% recycled content.

Copyright 2007 Christine Missik