Would you go a year without toilet paper?

[Rustic23]

My father in law is 96. On his last birthday, we ask him what was the best invention he had seen in his life. A lot of things were mentioned. The airplane, auto, computer, but it came down to Toilet Paper. He and his wife related to the time when a bucket of corn cobs soaked in water hung on the outhouse wall.

So, go a year without TP…. Not if the replacement is a wet corn cob!

 

[Outtahere]

Wet corn cobs? Why don't they teach this stuff in history classes? Or maybe now they do.

 

[REWahoo]

In the early 70's the US Air Force base in Osan Korea ran out of toilet paper for three days. Talk about a bunch of grouchy GI's.

(We had trouble keeping it from disappearing over the perimeter fence since the locals thought it made for handy table napkins.)

 

[Eagle43]

My father in law is 96. On his last birthday, we ask him what was the best invention he had seen in his life. A lot of things were mentioned. The airplane, auto, computer, but it came down to Toilet Paper. He and his wife related to the time when a bucket of corn cobs soaked in water hung on the outhouse wall.

So, go a year without TP…. Not if the replacement is a wet corn cob!

I wonder if a Boomer could do that?

 

[flipstress]

Wet corn cobs?

I learned about this use for corn cobs in the past via a joke from an uncle from Nebraska, but I didn't know about the wet part.

It sounds quite ingenious for the time, but I wouldn't want to use them for down there.

However, a wet corn cob just might have great exfoliating qualities as a facial scrub--where are those threads again on cheapest things we've ever done and on spending a lot on grooming?

 

[UncleHoney]

Whatever happened to the Sears Roebuck Catalog?

That used to be the family joke when I was a kid. When we ran low on TP my dad would joke about calling Sears and telling them we were down to the shiny pages and send a new catalog.

 

[Khan]

Several years ago (Reagan Admin) the local Air Force Base told people to bring in their own toilet paper.

 

[gandalf42]

We'd keep an old phone book out at the out house for "emergencies".

You want a wake up call..try sitting on a toilet seat that's been outside in the winter! You kind of look like "khan's" pic.

But there's always a silver lining..whenever everyrthing is frozen, you no longer have that "country ambiance".

 

[renferme]

no

 

[Khan]

We'd keep an old phone book out at the out house for "emergencies".

You want a wake up call..try sitting on a toilet seat that's been outside in the winter! You kind of look like "khan's" pic.

But there's always a silver lining..whenever everyrthing is frozen, you no longer have that "country ambiance".

Too close in the summer and too far in the winter.

 

[unclemick]

Up with Toilet Paper, down with Spotted Owls. My opinion has been documented on prior threads.

I admit to a fascination with the life cycle and chemistry of the human turd.

But I no longer live in the swamp and am on city sewer up north. One flush and the TP is gone - no excitment/no drama like when I built my own system.

heh heh heh - progress. .

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Up with Toilet Paper, down with Spotted Owls. My opinion has been documented on prior threads.

I admit to a fascination with the life cycle and chemistry of the human turd.

But I no longer live in the swamp and am on city sewer up north. One flush and the TP is gone - no excitment/no drama like when I built my own system.

heh heh heh - progress. .

So hows that one year without TP been going for you UM?

 

[unclemick]

So hows that one year without TP been going for you UM?

Nay nay - one shot, one kill - I mean one flush , one pile of TP. Flush early and often and have plenty of extra TP - AND have plenty of chemicals, plumbers snake, plunger and bookmarked high tech toilets on your computer.

You did read the other thread - We Had a few beers ---- and then. I mean there is only the 4th and New Years for fireworks!

I have yet to select an all power below grade(sewer) toilet system for the basement with macerater.

I have yet also to run an engineering study on time to complete flush vs no of TP sheets/brand or other variables. You might discover something as important as 4% SWR - one never knows.

heh heh heh - as for the other guy - it's the pee(number 1) that often overwhelms composting toilets not the TP. This post is not totally tongue in cheek - there is 'some' serious stuff here. Pay attention! .

 

[unclemick]

double post. Poop needs more respect. TP and trees - well I grew up in the PacNW - the smell of pulp and sulphite was the smell of money.

heh heh heh - spotted owls suck!

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Nay nay - one shot, one kill - I mean one flush , one pile of TP. Flush early and often and have plenty of extra TP - AND have plenty of chemicals, plumbers snake, plunger and bookmarked high tech toilets on your computer.

You did read the other thread - We Had a few beers ---- and then. I mean there is only the 4th and New Years.

I have yet to select an all power below grade(sewer) toilet system for the basement with macerater.

I have yet to run an engineering study on time to complete flush vs no of TP sheets/brand or other variables. You might discover something as important as 4% SWR - one never knows.

heh heh heh - as for the other guy - it's the pee(number 1) that often overwhelms composting toilets not the TP. This post is not totally tongue in cheek - there is 'some' serious stuff here. Pay attention! .

Im trying! In between catching my breath from laughing too much

 

[UncleHoney]

A little insight into the TP business. Sure beats corn cobs on a roll.

YouTube - How Toilet Paper is Made

 

[Danny]

There's a book deal in the works for this couple and there should be also for unclemick! Now that one I would buy - wonder what the title will be...

 

[rs0460a]

Just a related thread from the "classic" movies:

the 3 shells - Demolition Man (1993) Forums

- Ron

 

[Danny]

Bill Murray Caddyshack - Baby Ruth in the pool - "it's no big deal"

 

[hankster]

A year without toilet paper? No problem! Just as long as there's a bidet with instant warm water feature sitting next to the pot. Hmmmm....what's better for the environment....saving hot water by using TP or sparing trees by using the fancy french butt washer?

 

[Walt34]

One of the things I noticed after DW and I were married was the incredible quantities of TP she uses. She must roll it off by the yard. Mentioned it once, she got all defensive.

Um, okay, I'll leave that subject alone. TP is cheap and not worth arguing about....

So the answer to the question is "NO!"

 

[ls99]

Shoot I did not learn what toilet paper was until 16. We had outhouse. What joy in winter in the high mountains. The trick in winter was to throw burning newspaper down the old "one holer" then sit down. Special joy when the "honey wagon" came by for a cleanout, bucket brigade.

Thats the way it was in the old country.

Speaking of TP, there was a lady I knew whose name rhymed with charmin, all you had to do was be Mr Whipple, to get a squeezin'.

 

[StJohnsWood]

While I applaud what they are doing, no way would I go a year without paper. I think everyone can be more concerned with what they use but this is an extreme.

 

[flipstress]

Yeah, really, if they were seriously committed to no impact, why go for only a year? They're just doing it for book sales. Besides, no impact at all is impossible; low impact is more achievable.

I read what I wrote a few months ago and I was harsh. I have read blog posts of noimpactman (Colin Beavan) and it seems he is earnest about what he is doing, to prove that happiness is possible without a lot of consumer stuff with all the benefits of the simpler life for the environment. Their year is over but I think they are going to continue with some of their practices.

As for me, I wouldn't want to go without toilet paper. Abundance in toilet paper is one of the neatest things about living in America for me, along with running water, regular trash collection and street cleaning, parks, and public libraries.

 

[TromboneAl]

Remember seeing these in the novelty catalogs?