11sanchez11 Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 Neither. I use cloth napkins/little towels. Not really for any reason. Just cause I have them. But paper towels are definitely better than napkins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11sanchez11 Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 22 minutes ago, MKnight82 said: Not necessarily. The soap used for washing cloth can damage the water supply more than a biodegradable paper towel can. Idek if you even do more loads because of them tho. You throw them in when you are washing bigger towels or just your clothes. They barely take up any space. I don't think I have ever done a load of just cloth napkins. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoundrel Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 12 hours ago, gopherwrestler said: I have so many napkins left over from my wedding yet that I just keep using those I’ll send you my address. Mail them over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ataal Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 Paper towels from Costco. A package of those lasts me a year, maybe a year and a half. I don't think I've ever bought napkins in my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theJ Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 4 hours ago, Tugboat said: You don't think there's some form of "washing", with water and detergents involved in producing each and every paper napkin products? Especially the nice bleached white ones? Like, that's part of turning trees into paper. In a massive industrial process. I think you can safely assume it's substantially more than just running a little high efficiency washing machine every now and then. There's also a substantial industrial process associated with making cloth napkins. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugboat Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 1 hour ago, MKnight82 said: Not necessarily. The soap used for washing cloth can damage the water supply more than a biodegradable paper towel can. Not when you're talking about a tiny amount of soap every now and then...as opposed to the industrial detergents used to make the paper napkins on a massive scale...every single time, because they're inherently single use items. On top of the fact that you're cutting down trees to make them...every single time. 4 minutes ago, theJ said: There's also a substantial industrial process associated with making cloth napkins. Depends a bit on the particular cloth napkins. But ultimately the difference is pretty massive, in that you manufacture a cloth napkins once, and can use it for ages. Whereas every single paper napkin you use, goes through that industrial process...every time. If you were talking about like...buying a new cloth napkins and then throwing it away every time, you might have a point. But that's not really how people typically use cloth napkins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theJ Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 2 minutes ago, Tugboat said: Not when you're talking about a tiny amount of soap every now and then...as opposed to the industrial detergents used to make the paper napkins on a massive scale...every single time, because they're inherently single use items. On top of the fact that you're cutting down trees to make them...every single time. Depends a bit on the particular cloth napkins. But ultimately the difference is pretty massive, in that you manufacture a cloth napkins once, and can use it for ages. Whereas every single paper napkin you use, goes through that industrial process...every time. If you were talking about like...buying a new cloth napkins and then throwing it away every time, you might have a point. But that's not really how people typically use cloth napkins. There are lots of ways to make paper pulp, but you can use the same argument i bolded in the industrial process because it's done at scale. Look, i'm not saying you're wrong. But everyone assumed that recycling plastic was better for the environment too. And that's turned out to be a flawed argument. I'm just saying it's not like using cloth napkins is a clear cut zero waste method. It's not perfect either, and i'd like to see the math done first before i declare cloth napkins the winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fresh Prince Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 Napkins when I’m eating, paper towels for everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETSGOBROWNIES Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 I never thought I’d live to see the day where people would act self righteous about the material they use to wipe schmutz off their face, but here we are. Paper towels mostly. Sometimes my shirt. Sometimes a cloth napkin. Sometimes a paper napkin. I use what’s available. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey5djh Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 14 hours ago, Tugboat said: 16 hours ago, MKnight82 said: Not necessarily. The soap used for washing cloth can damage the water supply more than a biodegradable paper towel can. Not when you're talking about a tiny amount of soap every now and then...as opposed to the industrial detergents used to make the paper napkins on a massive scale...every single time, because they're inherently single use items. On top of the fact that you're cutting down trees to make them...every single time. 14 hours ago, theJ said: There's also a substantial industrial process associated with making cloth napkins. Depends a bit on the particular cloth napkins. But ultimately the difference is pretty massive, in that you manufacture a cloth napkins once, and can use it for ages. Whereas every single paper napkin you use, goes through that industrial process...every time. If you were talking about like...buying a new cloth napkins and then throwing it away every time, you might have a point. But that's not really how people typically use cloth napkins. 14 hours ago, theJ said: There are lots of ways to make paper pulp, but you can use the same argument i bolded in the industrial process because it's done at scale. Look, i'm not saying you're wrong. But everyone assumed that recycling plastic was better for the environment too. And that's turned out to be a flawed argument. I'm just saying it's not like using cloth napkins is a clear cut zero waste method. It's not perfect either, and i'd like to see the math done first before i declare cloth napkins the winner. Man I love FF....never in a million years did I think when I logged on this morning that the spicy topic of today would be whether or not paper napkins or cloth napkins would be more environmentally friendly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKnight82 Posted August 7, 2019 Author Share Posted August 7, 2019 4 minutes ago, Hockey5djh said: Man I love FF....never in a million years did I think when I logged on this morning that the spicy topic of today would be whether or not paper napkins or cloth napkins would be more environmentally friendly. The thread actually took a surprising environmental turn. The reason I posted this thread was I had my wife's father over, and he gave me crap when I handed him a paper towel with dinner and he was like, what you don't buy napkins? He meant paper napkins. I'm like, its the same freaking thing as a paper towel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theJ Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 5 minutes ago, Hockey5djh said: Man I love FF....never in a million years did I think when I logged on this morning that the spicy topic of today would be whether or not paper napkins or cloth napkins would be more environmentally friendly. People love a good fight on message boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theJ Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 Just now, MKnight82 said: The thread actually took a surprising environmental turn. The reason I posted this thread was I had my wife's father over, and he gave me crap when I handed him a paper towel with dinner and he was like, what you don't buy napkins? He meant paper napkins. I'm like, its the same freaking thing as a paper towel. The older generation definitely is a fan of napkins. My family always did napkins. But i don't see anyone my age buying them. It's all paper towels now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKnight82 Posted August 7, 2019 Author Share Posted August 7, 2019 1 minute ago, theJ said: The older generation definitely is a fan of napkins. My family always did napkins. But i don't see anyone my age buying them. It's all paper towels now. He's probably just giving me crap cause I married his daughter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theuntouchable Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 Neither, I let my dog lick it off. Environmental Friendly that! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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