A new report says that major brands’ refusal to use sustainable materials is having a devastating impact on forests and climate. Photo by: BrooWe're all learning more about the environment. We're finding out the things we do that cause harm. We often do not know we're causing harm.
A new study says toilet paper causes harm to the environment. We throw it away every single day. Toilet paper hasn't been talked about much as a problem.
Toilet paper is not sustainable. Sustainable products do less harm to the environment. Many sustainable products can be used more than once.
Toilet Paper Hurts Forests
America's heavy use of toilet paper is impacting climate change. The main problem is the pillowy soft toilet paper. A new study by two groups shows why. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Stand.earth both work to protect the environment. Their study says toilet paper use is causing great harm. It's hurting forests.
One forest near the United States is being severely hurt. It's Canada's boreal forest. The forest covers more than half of Canada.
Trees and plants take in the carbon dioxide from the air. This is very much like people breathing in oxygen. The huge boreal forest takes in large amounts of carbon dioxide. This is very important. It helps cancel out emissions from millions of cars every year.
Too much carbon dioxide in the air causes problems. It gets caught in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists say this contributes to global warming.
Many trees in the Canadian boreal forest are cut down. About 28 million acres of forest have been cut over the past 20 years. That's the size of Pennsylvania. Without those trees, there's much more carbon dioxide in the air. This is a huge problem.
100 Pounds Per Year
Americans are mostly to blame. They make up just more than 4 percent of the world's population. Yet Americans use more than 20 percent of the world's toilet paper. Take an American house of four people, for example. That house uses more than 100 pounds of toilet paper a year on average.
Major toilet paper brands have refused to change, the study says. The companies won't use more sustainable elements in their paper. Americans buy their products anyway. Americans want soft toilet paper in their homes more than others. They have seen years of ads. The ads sell soft toilet paper.
Not all toilet paper is equally harmful. Many companies are making products using recycled paper. They're more friendly to the environment.
The study scored companies. Big brands are causing the most harm. Charmin Ultra Soft and Angel Soft received F grades. They have little or no recycled elements. Other brands use recycled paper, though. Seventh Generation and Natural Value received A's.
How could using toilet paper made from recycled products impact the environment? What details from the text help you support your claim? Think about what you know about recycled products, then explain how the details support your claim.
