W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Fortunately I have about 50 rolls of toilet paper left so I'm good.
I hope you are right! I'm in about the same situation, with 48 "Mega rolls" left. I didn't mean to order so much but now I'm glad that I did.
Fortunately I have about 50 rolls of toilet paper left so I'm good.
All joking aside, I think this is yet another event that is going to cause western countries to reconsider their supply chains and propensity for off-shoring the manufacturing of everything under the sun.
Covid put a harsh spotlight on supply insecurity with the PPE shortages and reliance on China. Then we have global silicon shortages due to covid and compounded by a fire at a Japanese factory. The EU and India then up the ante with the vaccine nationalism play causing the UK to consider a crash program to ensure vaccine independence.
Toss in growing strategic concerns about China's behavior, increasing focus on climate (sailing toilet paper around the world? seriously?) and increased focus on wealth distribution in western economies...and you have a recipe for something to change in a significant way.
Fortunately I have about 50 rolls of toilet paper left so I'm good.
One would hope. But businesses have notoriously short institutional memories and a propensity to focus on doing whatever is cheapest in the short term.
The problem is people will see "supply chain issues" and rush and buy TP and the shortage will be because of that behavior, not because of any actual supply problem. Which, of course was half the problem last year...
Frankly, this whole TP thing is ridiculous and is a bad reflection on our society. It shows that people say: "We are in it together." Their actions show, however, they are in it for themselves.
It is just TP for peet's sake. You can always use a rag and water if worse comes to worse.
If you are in the US, North America is a net toilet paper exporter. https://www.globaltrademag.com/toilet-paper-a-uniquely-american-obsession/ so there will not be a shortage short of a consumer panic inspired by know nothing media. So no suez canal shipping involved from there. Actually if you look at a trade map about the only place that makes sense to export to the us via the suez canal might be india. East asian trade crosses the pacific.Will this create any supply chain problems? Should we be stocking up with toilet paper? (or maybe we all have enough toilet paper for at least a year)
One would hope. But businesses have notoriously short institutional memories and a propensity to focus on doing whatever is cheapest in the short term.
Frankly, this whole TP thing is ridiculous and is a bad reflection on our society. It shows that people say: "We are in it together." Their actions show, however, they are in it for themselves.
It is just TP for peet's sake. You can always use a rag and water if worse comes to worse.
(italics by me) ... not the same
Maybe they don't want an anchor dropped on them.I Googled for "tugboat escort" and there were lots of results. Maybe that's the solution for windy days. I read "Owners or operators of single and double-hulled tank barges carrying 6,000 or more barrels of oil through Buzzards Bay and the Cape Cod Canal were required to hire a tugboat escort during calendar year 2012, and MassDEP was relieved of its obligation to provide tank barges with a statefunded pilot and tugboat escort."
Just read that there are thousands of animals on the ships trapped in the canal (mainly livestock) and that they are running out of food and water for them. Yikes.