CHANGING THE WORLD ONE PAPER TOWEL AT A TIME

A few months ago I posted this TED talk to facebook. In the video, Joe Smith teaches people how to dry their hands with only one paper towel (any kind). I don't know what it was about that video, but I was transfixed. It was like he was teaching me a magic trick. The next day at work, every time I washed my hands, I implemented Joe's technique for drying my hands. Every time I felt so proud of myself. I felt like I was really doing something great. I was saving the world. I was changing things and I was being awesome! Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I was still using paper towels at the house for everything. Meaning, every time I needed a napkin, I used a paper towel. That's at least two meals a day during the weak that I am using a paper towel. In a five day work week, I am using 10 paper towels just to wipe crumbs off my face. That's not counting the paper towels that substituted as plates for toast or sandwiches. Michael even made fun of it. He informed me that "paper towels are not napkins", though I think he was being more of an etiquette snob than earth conscious. So this weekend, when he took me to his favorite kitchen store, I decided to buy some cloth napkins. I'm sure he was hoping I'd buy a zestier, but well...cloth napkins seemed like a better purchase. I bought some nice soft fair trade napkins.

Sunday night I made a big bowl of stir fried veggies and tofu. I grabbed one of my new napkins and sat down at the table. I suddenly had that same feeling I got while watching Joe Smith's TED talk. I love my new cloth napkins! I had no idea that I would enjoy them so dang much. Actually, there's probably something wrong with me if cloth napkins bring this much joy into my life. I'm not even kidding. I am saving the world with those cloth napkins (did I mention they are fair trade?). I haven't used ANY paper towels at the house this week! Wait...that's not true. There was a giant creepy bug on the kitchen wall. I used a paper towel to get it. I've used ONE paper towel this week! I am changing the world one paper towel at a time! It makes me want to fist pump the air or high five someone. I feel like this is totally the reason that I randomly received a bar of sudsy elephant soap in the mail yesterday.