In the bathroom

Nicola & Pete plus daughters Lola, now 9 and Nell, now 7, spent last year exploring Britain in a carbon-light manner. Our spring 2008 challenge is to give up waste from 24 March to 24 April. Most posts are by Nicola (as it was her silly idea). This is how it’s going:

Crisis: there is only one roll of loo paper left at home. After some heated discussion with Pete I’ve agreed that we do not have to abandon the modern world of soft, perforated toilet tissue. In fact this was a simple decision as Pete said we’d have to divorce if Family Baird May switches to torn up newspaper.

We are now faced with the dilemma of what to buy: A) unbranded and loose? B) non FSC-certified but paper wrapped? C) recycled but tightly packed in plastic?

Pete favours A but doesn’t know where to find it. As a result he’s decided we’ll be getting B.

In contrast having a period doesn’t seem such a problem as I’ve been using a Mooncup for a while. This means there isn’t any waste to block pipes or clog up the oceans. Admittedly it took a little while getting used to it, and the potential for embarrassment if dropped is huge. That said the Mooncup is the best thing I’ve used which is why I’ve forced myself to write about it on this blog.

Verdict: ladies go try the Mooncup, it has to be the best reusable item ever. But here’s a note for employer, school and public toilet designers - please think about putting sinks into cubicles, rather than in rows. Privacy is all.