November 01, 2013

UCSB's Paper Towel Free Project Helping to Save Trees

This school year, there is a new push to go paperless at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Called the Paper Towel Free Project, the move is being orchestrated by the he Zero Waste Committee at the university and by the school’s Residence Hall Association.

In two of the campuses' dormitories, environmental floors have had their paper towel dispensers removed from bathrooms. Everyone who lives on the floor was given a reusable hand towel, and there are hooks provided in the lavatories for storing the towels while using the restroom.

The project follows a ban on paper towels in all bathroom residence halls at the University of California, Santa Cruz, a part of the university's plan to produce zero waste by 2020. Paper towels are still being kept in kitchen and laundry areas for use when there are spills or other messes with which to be dealt.

The story of the Paper Towel Free Project as told in The Bottom Line can serve as inspiration for anyone looking to ditch paper towels and establish a paperless kitchen. You can start small; try only using paper towels for emergencies and using a reusable towel or green disposable at other times to get started. Gradually, you can decrease usage for other purposes and eventually switch only to reusables and unpaper towels.