Wiping is Washed Up

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By Andrew Romano | NEWSWEEK

Published Aug 15, 2009

From the magazine issue dated Aug 31, 2009

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Deep down, Americans have always known that wiping their rears with dry paper is ineffective; a classic survey showed that half of TP users spend their days with "fecal contamination"—anything from "wasp-colored" stains to "frank massive feces"—in their underpants. And yet we continue to mock the bidet, the Frenchest of innovations, as froufrou, risqué, de trop. But while personal hygiene is one thing, the future of the planet is another. The average American uses 57 sheets of toilet paper a day; collectively, we burn through 36.5 billion rolls each year. Tossing all the TP in America would save 15 million trees, 17.3 terawatts of electricity, and more than 473 billion gallons of water annually; the environmental impact of bidets is minimal in comparison. No wonder the Japanese bidet behemoth Toto is gearing up for a massive sales push in the States. When it's hip to be green, ditching the Charmin could -actually make a difference. And not only in our (dirty) drawers.

NEXT: The Environment is Healthier Than Ever

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Posted By: kauffman @ 11/18/2009 1:38:15 PM

Bidet seats with sprayers and air jets are great except that it does create more turbulence and airborne fecal matter. Water jets and sprays release more fecal matter into the air, and then is aided by jets of air pusing it about. Fecal matter can travel for long distances. If you can smell it, it is in your nose, remember that. Testy have shown that fecal molecules land on surfaces that are in enclosed rooms up to 100 yards away. It is airborne and small molecules, so it will travel. Using a OBB bottle will minimize splashing and turbulence. Sprayers will push fecal matter into and onto sides of toilet, only to evaporate into the air for you to breathe. Sprayers were designed to eliminate the Yuck factor of cleansing. Do you just stand in the shower or do you use use hands to rub and soap down?? Using water to cleanse yourself is a hands-on process, no getting around it if you want to be really clean. Your sense of touch will tell you when you are clean.
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Posted By: kauffman @ 11/18/2009 1:24:30 PM

Use a few sheets of toilet paper to dry yourself. Toilet paper now has a new purpose; first is to dry you after using water to cleanse yourself, and secondly, very important, to inspect yourself. Do you see any mucus or discharge on the paper? Any spotting of small dots of blood? DId you eat something yesterday taht is causing this bleeding and maybe you should stop eating those dry roasted peanuts? You should always have TP in the bathroom, for drying and for people who are not water cleansing people, and for courtesy as well.
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Posted By: kauffman @ 11/18/2009 1:07:19 PM

I think that my OBB bottle is the solution! Simple, cheap, non intrusive in design, clean and neat in appearance. Check out the site, I think you will find it an interesting few pages of info.