I'm Addicted to Paper Towels

We all do what we can to cut down on single-use items. I don't take a shopping bag at a store if I can manage what I've bought in my hands and pockets. I've cut down on Ziplocs (which I had previously used in an out of control fashion). Before I buy cheap plastic crap now, I try to think to myself, "how long will it be before this piece of shit ends up in a landfill??" Despite my attempts to do the right thing environmentally, paper towels are one of the items that I can't entirely give up.

There's a roll in my guide box or boat at all times. It's great for a variety of things, Cleaning up messes, cleaning fly lines, temporary bandaids, coffee filters, or toilet paper. Paper Towels and the environment is one of those things that I'm prepared to take the hypocrisy punch to the face. I've tried to think of ways to cut down/re-use or multipurpose each paper towels until a more practical solution is found.

This is one of those beauties paper towel Hacks.

Yeah yeah, i know you’re only supposed to use the bag that they come in.

Use 1. Clean your glasses: It's something I often do several times a day. Whether a monster fish got the last word and showered me upon release or I took my glasses off for a second while snacking and now it looks like I ate lunch off the lenses, paper towels are there for me.

Use 2. Blow your nose: Clean your glasses, then you blow your nose. I don't remember being the snotty-nosed kid in the schoolyard, but my nose runs like crazy. Maybe its allergies or diet, but it is real and I often have a runny nose. Paper towel is there for me. You may have to harden up a bit to use PT on the regular for blowing your nose as its a lot more abrasive than the super-duper cotton fluffies, aloe enhanced, tea tree oil infused kleenex that is out there.

Use 3. Clean your glasses, then you blow your nose with it, then you clean the grease off your Jet pump: Jet pump grease returns leave a nasty smear on your snailshell and if you don't clean em up, it kind of looks like crap. Not sure why I care, but I try to keep this under control.

I now feel like I have cut down my paper towel use by 2/3. These are the things that circulate in my brain.