Ep. 34: How to Quit Using Paper Towels (and What to Use Instead)
Paper towels are one of those everyday items most of us don’t think twice about — until we do. They’re convenient, familiar, and deeply embedded in our kitchen routines. But when you slow down and look at what goes into making something designed to be used once and thrown away, it becomes worth questioning.
In this solo episode of Sustainable in the Suburbs, I’m talking about how to quit (or significantly reduce) paper towel use in a way that’s practical, flexible, and rooted in real life. I share how paper towels quietly disappeared from our home years ago, why they’re so easy to overuse, and what actually works instead.
We dig into the environmental and financial cost of paper towels, how ideas about cleanliness and convenience shape our habits, and why changing what’s within reach can naturally change behaviour. I also walk through realistic reusable alternatives, storage and laundry concerns, edge cases where disposables still make sense, and what to do if you already have paper towels at home.
The focus is on choosing reusables where they make sense, and how small changes add up over time in everyday life.
Takeaways
- Why paper towels are designed to be overused — and why that’s not a personal failure.
- The environmental impact of single-use paper products.
- Practical alternatives to paper towels that work in everyday homes.
- How small behavioural changes can reduce waste.
- Why using fewer paper towels still matters, even if you don’t eliminate them entirely.
One Small Shift
Take the paper towel roll off your counter and put it somewhere else — under the sink, in a cupboard, or the pantry. Just notice what you reach for instead over the next week or two.
