Who Gives a Cr@p Toilet Paper
December 9, 2019
by drplasticpicker
When I started blogging at drplasticpicker.com, it was the same time that the “Who Gives A Crap?” http://whogivesacrap.org/toilet paper Facebook ads were popping up. It was a very cute slightly chubby brown haired woman shashaying with a big carboard box with the catchy yet slightly profane name, “Who Gives a Cr@p?” (I put the @ in for a, it doesn’t seem right to write even a slightly bad word in a pediatric blog). I was never shy, so after only writing 10 blog posts and maybe a few hundred page views – I emailed their company asking for free toilet paper samples. I was already thinking about switching to a more sustainble toilet paper alternative anyway.
I felt great fun asking for the toilet paper, and telling everyone around me including the entire upper administrative structure of our department about my free toilet paper! I had grand dreams of pithily giving the toilet paper out, with it’s bright packaging, and decreasing the exploitation of virgin forests which is where most US toilet paper comes from. In this journey to a sustainable world, trees are very important even a backyard Persimmon Tree https://drplasticpicker.com/save-this-persimmon-tree/. So after exchanging several emails with their very nice company, I was excited to have them tell me that they were sending me a box.
The first box was definitely free, because it was a complimentary gift box. I gave the products out to various friends. It was great, as it generated brief conversations through the day about sustainable toilet paper – bamboo versus recycled. There is no plastic packaging whatsoever.
Weeks then past, as their Austalian company is just expanding into the US and I finally received the big box. I feel less bad about asking them for the toilet paper valued at $50 since now I have several thousand readers and >70 blog posts, instagram and twitter following now.
They make bamboo toilet paper and recycled toilet paper. Bamboo is thought to be more sustainable because bamboo can grow up to 3 feet a day and can be grown on degraded land. I think the bamboo toilet paper is supposed to be softer and more “premium.” Most toilet paper, including the Kirkland rolls that my inlaws buy, are made from wood pulp from ancient Canadian virgin forest. We received the recycled toilet paper, and I’m happy because I think in the end it’s more sustainable. We need to have a more circular economy, and what’s the point of recycling all that paper if we don’t buy products from recycled content? Remember drplasticpicker is a firm believer in that we have powers as consumers to help the earth! https://drplasticpicker.com/product-reviews-drplasticker-has-power-as-a-consumer/
BRAND | Costs | Unit Costs | Soft |
Who Gives a Cr@p (100% recycled) | $49.99 per 50 | $1 per roll | GOOD |
Seventh Generation (100% recycled) | $16.99 per 24 | $0.70 | OK |
Kirkland (Virgin Forest Paper) | $28.83 per 30 | $0.48 | YES BUT EVIL |
Who Gives a Cr@p (Bamboo) | $52 per 50 | $1.04 | ?? |
NooTrees (Bamboo) | $13.61 per 10 | $1.36 | VERY GOOD |
So after our brief trial at home, I have concluded that Virgin Forest Toilet Paper from Kirkland is almost half the price, but I cannot live with the guilt anymore.
So at my payrate, it takes me just 15 minutes to work enough to offset the cost of a box of 50 premium bamboo toilet paper versus virgin forest toilet paper. Who Gives a Cr@p http://whogivesacrap.org/ is a good option and automatic, as they ship it directly in a cardboard box to your house. For busy professionals like Mr. Plastic Picker and I, it makes sense so that I don’t have to struggle at Costco being tempted by the economically cheap but ecologically expensive super soft virgin toilet paper. I also think Seventh Generation is a great option, and have started buying their products when I’m at Walmart.
So how sincere do you think this blog post is? As mentioned in my first interview in PBMonthly, this is not a monetized blog and I’m giving away the samples I receive like the Squeasy Gears http://squeasygear.com/. I still need to finish that product post! And to be honest dear readers, I know the first small box was free but I’m not even sure if I got the 50 rolls of recycled toilet paper from Who Gives A Cr@p for free? I got an invoice so that is why you haven’t seen me giving too many away because I think I bought them? I didn’t see it on our credit card statement but they actually asked for our number and then there is that invoice! But I’ve been happy with the product, so even if I ended up signing up as a regular costumer and paying for it – I’m totally fine with it. Fifteen minutes of taking care of my wonderful patients to justify the cost differential of Bamboo or recycled toilet paper versus the ecological disaster of virgin toilet paper. A clean conscience while cleaning my bottom with a good quality soft toilet paper – totally worth it!
So if Who Gives A Cr@p is reading this little blog post, I’ve received animated interest from 1% upper middle class folks about whether the bamboo toilet paper is good for RVs and boats/yachts. So let me know and you can send me more toilet paper for free and I’ll pass them along to that demographic you are aiming for! Keeping it fun, drplastipicker signing off and I want to make it to clinic on time!
If you want to actually plant more trees, read here about the wonderful search engine Ecosia https://drplasticpicker.com/ecosians-drplasticpicker-has-always-liked-alien-like-names-change-your-search-engine-to-ecosia-they-plant-trees-you-become-an-ecosian/
We buy Who Gives a Crap toilet paper too!!!
Fortunately, we don’t use a ton of toilet paper because we use a bidet. I couldn’t have imagined me saying this 10 years ago, but wow… a bidet is a game changer 🙂
Thank you Dr. McFrugal for stopping by our blog! drplasticpicker is so honored. I think we need to install those in our two main bathrooms. My parents have them. I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long but I think your comment will be the little nudge we need. We have have very happy with Who Gives a Cr@p but makes sense to use less as well.