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Home , Intelligent toilet, Outhouse, Toileting, Toilet paper

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(YES, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT POOPING)

42 CHATELAINE ¥ MARCH/APRIL 2020 health HYGIENE

If you’re bummed (sorry!) about the environmental impacts of tissue , consider the water-conscious, sensitive skin–friendly . It turns out the time-tested practice of washing over solely wiping doesn’t just feel good—it can do good, too

Written by ISHANI NATH

Illustrations by STEPHANIE HAN KIM

anuta Valleau can’t remem- snow, moss, corncobs and water. The ber the last time she bought Farmer’s Almanac was so frequently hung paper. The rolls that are from a nail in and , stocked in her southwestern A single roll of functioning as both reading material and Ontario home, located in the takes waste removal, that in 1919 the publisher Georgian Bluff s, are primarily for the com- up to 37 gallons started pre-drilling a hole in the corner. fort of her guests—and she’s often amazed Toilet paper originated in China and was by how much is used when people visit. A of water to introduced in the U.S. in 1857, but it didn’t family of four who recently stayed over for produce—and take off initially because of the stigma two days fl ushed away nearly six rolls, she most toilet paper around discussing habits. It recalls. But for the 67-year-old, the num- wasn’t until the 20th century, when com- ber-one choice after number two isn’t wads is made from panies began marketing TP around the of toilet paper, it’s water—a switch she and clear-cut idea of femininity, hygiene and absor- her husband, Michael McLuhan, made after boreal forest. bency, that the customers started . . .rolling learning how crappy (sorry) toilet paper is in. (Sorry again.) for the environment. The tissue market is now the fast- Making lifestyle changes to be more est-growing sector of the paper industry green is nothing new for this retired cou- “It’s actually much cleaner than using and shows no signs of slowing down. ple. Valleau always carries a reusable bottle toilet paper,” Valleau says of her experience But in order to produce these products, and coff ee mug, avoids purchasing produce using the $41 cold-water bidet attachment which the NRDC explains are primarily wrapped in plastic or other products with they purchased on Amazon and installed made from “virgin” rather than recycled too much packaging and describes her themselves last year. And it turns out that , companies are wiping out our eco- husband as a “recycling genie” who metic- washing rather than solely wiping—a com- systems, threatening Indigenous people’s ulously separates discarded items to mon practice among Muslims and in many traditional territories and aff ecting wild- minimize waste. After reading an article parts of , the , and life like the boreal caribou, whose popula- about a man who went TP-free, it was South America—doesn’t just feel good, it tion has declined at an estimated rate of McLuhan’s idea to give up the roll—and can do good. 30 percent every 18 years. The NRDC Valleau was game. Canada’s boreal forest, which covers report highlights that, in addition to have come a long way since deco- almost 60 percent of our country, is the most using toilet paper made from recycled rated wash basins were introduced in 1600s carbon-dense forest ecosystem on earth, materials, bidets “could considerably slow . While stand-alone bidets, meant to each year removing 24 million cars’ worth forest degradation.” be straddled and used to bathe the genitals, of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When Valleau tried to switch to recycled perineum and anus, are still used, today the According to a 2019 report from the U.S.- toilet paper two years ago, she was frus- term also applies to a water spout that is based Natural Resources Defense Council trated to discover that the “made from built in, or attached, to the toilet and is de- (NRDC), by using toilet paper we are literally recycled material” label sometimes only re- signed to shoot water—either cold, as is the fl ushing those resources down the toilet. ferred to the outer packaging, not the tissue case with less-expensive options, or warm— Throughout history, we have wiped us- itself. Water, and hygiene expert at the user’s undercarriage. ing everything from hands to leaves, grass, Sayed M. Nazim Uddin says not knowing

MARCH/APRIL 2020 • CHATELAINE 43 Ceramics Pessoi, meaning pebbles, were smoothed-out pieces of broken ceramics that were A brief used by the Greeks and Romans to wipe in 5th history of and 6th century BC. butt wiping Water Sticks The Prophet Muhammad In the 8th century AD, the Japanese From plants to (c. 570–632), the founder of Islam, Rocks came used fl at sticks (chuugi) for internal paper to rocks instructs all Muslims to wash their way, way and external wiping. The Greco- private parts with water after Romans used a sponge-tipped stick (ouch!) before rolls. going to the bathroom. that soaked in brine between uses.

what goes into our toilet tissue is part of the distributors of a large Korean lifestyle I didn’t understand the point of it because the problem—particularly since compa- brand, which among its many products in- I was like, ‘You have toilet paper.’ ” nies use bbleachleach to whiten, strengthenstrengthen andand cluded a heated that played a It wasn’t until she gave birth that she soften these products. “Normally when you chime, sprayed warm water from an gave the bidet a second look. Women who buy food, the ingredients are written [o[onn attachment with adjustable pressure and deliver vaginally are sent home with a the packaging], but these chemicals aren’t fi nished by blowing warm air—no tissue small squeeze bottle—or, as Rodrigues de- written on the toilet paper,” he says. required. As a kid growing up in Richmond scribes it, a “very low-tech bidet”—which The process of bleaching toilet tissue re- Hill, Ont., Rodrigues enjoyed the heated helps to wash away from any tears in leases toxins into the air and water, which seat, but avoided the bidet function. the skin and keep the area clean, rather the NRDC reports has been shown to harm “Like most North American kids grow- than wiping the wound with pa- fi sh, animals and people. There are re- ing up, I thought that was weird,” says per. Rodrigues found the bottle diffi cult to ported cases of skin irritation caused by Rodrigues. “It freaked me out that you manoeuvre and realized that it was fi nally these chemicals—and they don’t disappear would shoot water at your nether regions. time to make use of the bidet. once they are fl ushed down the toilet. Having a bidet attachment already in- Uddin says when chemicals that are used stalled (ever the enthusiasts, her parents to make paper feel softer than a luxe had given her one), she adjusted it to the sweater are released into the water, it pol- lowest pressure setting and gently wiped lutes the entire ecosystem. away excess water with TP before using the “Toilet paper has high impact if you con- blow-dryer setting to fi nish. As Uddin sider all other residual issues or eff ects,” explains, water is known as a universal sol- says Uddin, a visiting research associate at vent; it’s eff ective, whereas there may still the University of Victoria who is based in be residue after using tissue. Just think Bangladesh, where a small water bucket THE GREENEST WAY about the diff erence between washing called a bonda (known in other areas as a TO WIPE chocolate ice cream off your hands with lota) is typically found next to the toilet. If you’re committed to wiping, water compared to wiping it with a paper And even though it may seem like a bonda there are some greener towel. Rodrigues had heard that the hands- or bidet would increase water usage, he toilet paper options out there. free bidet was more hygienic than toilet pa- says it will never have the same environ- While recycled toilet paper may per; it turns out, there is some truth to that. be scratchier than the virgin-fi bre mental impact as using toilet paper—par- “If you’re never touching your skin, you stuff , making the plush version ticularly since, in the U.S., producing toilet directly from tree pulp produces have a lower likelihood of getting those paper requires an estimated 473 billion three times as much carbon. germs and spreading them to other peo- gallons of water per year. Uddin personally Sustainable choices, like PC Green ple,” says Dr. Amanda Selk, an ob-gyn at Soft & Thick Green Forest uses water, and he believes that Canadians and Women’s College in Toronto. Bathroom Tissue, have a high at large should rethink their water closet percentage of recycled content. Dr. Jen Gunter, author of The customs for both health and environmen- As soft and strong as regula r Bible and host of CBC’s Jensplaining, is tal reasons. “Using water is quite a bit bet- TP, bamboo toilet paper is suitable also “pro bidet,” calling it an eff ective ter for the environment and human health for the most delicate bums. method of cleaning without causing irri- The plant also grows fast, which than toilet paper.” tation. Some experts have even linked means it can be mass-produced, Bidets were a fi xture in Jenny Rodrigues’ and a roll of it only requires improper wiping with anal fi ssures or

childhood home . Her parents worked as 0.59 gallons of water to make. tears. But, according to Selk, “a lot of PHOTO. ISTOCK PAPER, TOILET CORNCOBS, STICKS, PEBBLES, FACUCET,

44 CHATELAINE ¥ MARCH/APRIL 2020 health HYGIENE

Just a girl and her pony.

Corncobs The Farmer’s Almanac In the early 1700s, Americans Use of its pages was so prolifi c started using dried corncobs, that in 1919, its publisher started which were readily available drilling a hole in the corner so and apparently softer than that it could be easily hung one might think. in an .

Bidets Toilet paper The name for this nether-regions Originating in China in the 2nd wash basin is rooted in the French century BC and introduced to North word for “pony.” Bidets debuted America in the mid-1800s, uptake in France in the 1600s and were on toilet paper was slow due to primarily used by the aristocracy. stigma around potty talk.

people with healthy skin don’t fi nd an is- marker. During a recent visit to California, sue with toilet paper, otherwise it wouldn’t her host showed off their Japanese toilet as be so popular.” their home’s pièce de résistance. Celebrities Bidets for all budgets That said, even the softest toilet paper have also spoken of the beauty of the bidet, can start to feel irritating for those with or in some cases, simply using water. KOHLER EIR This hands-free, self- gastrointestinal issues, such as chronic di- Comedian Hasan Minhaj said the one item cleaning “intelligent toilet” arrhea. (Consider what it’s like when you he couldn’t live without is a lota, SNL’s comes with a deodorizing have a cold and are constantly blowing Michael Che said getting a bidet attachment system, water warmer, blow- your nose; eventually, your nostrils are left was “life-changing,” and author Judy dryer function and LED lights dry and irritated. The same goes for your Blume called her toilet seat for late-night nature calls. $9,320, kohler.ca. butt.) For who use the bathroom her “greatest luxury.” frequently or have certain skin conditions, With products ranging from $41 attach- TOTO TOILET such as symptomatic hemorrhoids, Selk ments that can be bought online to thrones SEAT An electric bidet seat says using water can provide relief. that cost thousands of dollars, making the that attaches to your toilet and replaces your existing That’s one of the reasons Victoria-based switch is doable at a variety of price seat. Its bidet wand is plumber Mary-Anne Bowcott got a bidet. points—but Bowcott and Adelman advise adjustable for position and “It defi nitely made things a lot easier and only purchasing products that have earned pressure by wireless remote. a lot more comfortable for me rather than the Canadian Standards Association stamp $450, costco.ca. using super dry toilet paper all the time,” of approval to avoid any issues. TUSHY CLASSIC This bidet says Bowcott, 33, who has a history of It may be a while, though, until we see a attachment fi ts right between stomach issues. While she’s seen increased bidet in every bathroom. Penner says that your existing toilet seat and demand for bidets and bidet attachments, bathroom design evolves slowly due to in- toilet bowl, with a control dial it’s still not “crazy popular” in Victoria. grained habits: When indoor plumbing was that sits off to the side, and is available in nine colours. Leah Adelman, a 41-year-old plumber in introduced, people often still used cham- $131, hellotushy.com. Saskatoon, agrees that with built-in ber pots because it was habitual. After bidet functions are becoming more com- healing from childbirth, Rodrigues re- NADEEF HAND-HELD mon, which she fi gures is due in part to the turned to only using her bidet’s seat warm- BIDET Entrepreneur Ahmad aging population as well as people travel- ing function, partly because the bidet takes Iqbal started Nadeef after hearing from Pakistani ling and experiencing bidets overseas. longer—but it’s also what she’s used to. Canadians that hand-held Barbara Penner, a U.K.-based architec- Ditching TP took Valleau some getting bidets weren’t widely available ture professor and the author of Bathroom— used to, but it is now a part of her routine. here. $80, getnadeef.com. which explores the evolution of the water “The balance has tipped from trying some- closet—says there has always been an in- thing new at home . . . to preferring the bi- LUXE BIDET NEO 110 This aff ordable bidetbidet hashas terest in “” habits around the det concept and reluctantly having to use more than 1,000 fi ve-star world, and with increased access to travel toilet paper elsewhere,” she says. She reviews on Amazon and is in recent decades, more people are experi- thinks about the environmental repercus- the attachment that Danuta encing these customs. She sees high-tech sions every time she wipes. Meanwhile, Valleau and Michael McLuhan installed in their home. There’s toilets with built-in bidet functions becom- Bowcott’s CSA-approved bidet toilet seat, also a slightly pricier version ing aspirational in the same way that, his- while not cheap, was a game-changer. that off ers a a warmwarm water water

BIDET PAINTING, APIC/CONTRIBUTOR/GETTY IMAGES. THE FARMER’S ALMANAC, COURTESY OF OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC. FARMER’S OLD OF COURTESY ALMANAC, FARMER’S THE IMAGES. APIC/CONTRIBUTOR/GETTY PAINTING, BIDET torically, indoor plumbing was once a status “I wouldn’t go back, that’s for sure.” option. $41, amazon.ca.

MARCH/APRIL 2020 • CHATELAINE 45