It's been over two months since I've used toilet paper. Even though it's usually available at ACI/Baobab Center, my family doesn't use it, and I've just gotten used to it. One day while I was in the bathroom, I was thinking about why developed countries are the ones that use the most toilet paper. I mean, the sink is right there. You're going to wash your hands in two seconds anyway, so what does it matter? (I did make an exception for runners and camping, and any other situation where the sink thing is inapplicable).
Then I took this further. Let's say in the US, we drastically reduced our demand for toilet paper. What happens? Environmentally, this is a positive. Less paper used, less energy used, less waste. Cool. But then I wondered what kind of effects it would have on the economy. Obviously, the people who cut down the trees, the paper makers, the factory workers - they would find themselves in a much more competitive job market, as there would be a much smaller need for their skills. So there's job loss, unless the same workers can then be invested into a different technology or service using similar or related skills. Then, there's the fact that Americans would no longer be purchasing toilet paper, so where would that money go? Although it's not a huge percent of the average family's budget, you have to wonder about larger institutions, like businesses, schools, restaurants, and other public spaces. It adds up. Would we be using the money to stimulate the economy in another way?
I have no answers here. It just goes to show that even the little changes in daily life can make you think about things.
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