We are all aware of the drain on earth's resources but maybe we don't see it in relation to our everyday activities. Take cleaning for example. How often do we consider the environmental impact of single use cleaning products?
Our forests are in crisis. Nearly half of all global forests are under threat of deforestation and forest degradation, which represents a major risk to global climate, biodiversity, water, people, and businesses who depend on healthy forests. (1)
Part of the goal in reducing waste is to choose quality over quantity.
Recently I received a box of cleaning products to try from NatureZway, including cleaning cloths, floor wipes, bamboo toilet paper, scrub brushes, and compostable waste bags. Another product that I have been using from NatureZway is the (not paper) towels. These reusable towels are made from bamboo - and not the kind panda's eat! Each one can be used up tens of times, according to the package up to one hundred times.
What makes bamboo better than trees for cleaning products?
Bamboo is a super fast-growing, renewable, and easy-to-grow grass that requires zero chemicals and pesticides. There are 91 genera and about 1,000 species of bamboo. Bamboo grows in colonies and does not require replanting. The Guinness Book of World Records awards Bamboo as the fastest growing plant on earth, with some species growing 35 inches per day.

Bamboo growth also contributes to cleaner air as it absorbs carbon dioxide and releases 35% more oxygen into the atmosphere than an equivalent stand of hardwood trees.
Bamboo cleans the air, but what about counters
At some point after I received these bamboo cleaning products, I had a coffee spill. I haven't kept "paper" towels in my home for a number of years. Intending to put the towels to the test, I cleaned up the coffee with one, rinsed it out, and hung it to dry. To my surprise, it came clean. (Listen to the podcast or watch the video to hear what Japanese do to test it out!)

On to more challenging tests...

After making some paprika chicken in my iron skillet, I wiped out the pan with one of the bamboo towels, rinsed and hung to dry. No problem. If you've ever wiped out an iron skillet, you'll understand why I'm impressed. 
Soap and Reusable Towels for Cleaning instead of Disposable Disinfectant Wipes
I'll never forget the first time I saw someone using a disposable disinfectant wipe. The person cleaning used about four or five of these disposable wipes to clean the kitchen counters after a regular meal. 

The package indicates that they are disinfecting wipes. Even back then, I remember thinking how odd it was to use a disinfectant since no one was sick. More odd was that it was disposable. That incident occurred many years ago, and now using disinfecting wipes for everyday cleaning is the norm.

According to the instruction on the back of the plastic tube, the surface must remain wet for 10 minutes to disinfect. So, I'm not sure people are using these properly. Most of the time, I see people using these with their bare hands. The container says to rinse hands and surfaces after use. 

Sadly, these cloths are made from synthetic materials and are not biodegradable. Now when kids start school each year, teachers ask for them along with the other school supplies such as paper and pencils. Using these disposable disinfectant wipes for everyday clean up is completely unnecessary. 

At the very least, antibiotic wipes do not appear to help us and, it may be that they are actually hurting us.