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    Home » Blog » Life » Podcast/SHL

    March 22, 2019 | By Jami

    Podcast Ep.54: What is it with Americans and Paper Towels?

    This may be a hot topic - or not - but we're diving into the research showing that Americans are using a lot more paper towels than the rest of the world. We're not surprised, since people love paper towels, but is this a symptom of our throwaway obsession? We share our thoughts along with some easy paper towel (and other paper product) alternatives that saves us money and generates less paper waste. We have some exciting updates on the farmhouse remodel and a real life week's worth of menu ideas. Plus some cool discoveries and lots more!

    Podcast Ep.54-paper towels

    You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio – or listen to it below right on your computer! Then use this page to check out any links, notes, or photos we talked about in the episode. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you might have to click through to the post to see the player below.

    Prefer reading? Use the PODCAST TRANSCRIPT! Click here to open in a new window and read.

    Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

    Americans & Paper Towels

    paper towels

    Here's the article we based this episode around (and the one that states that American tissue waste in 2015 was 7.4 billion pounds): Americans are Weirdly Obsessed with Paper Towels

    Other kinds of paper goods are also out of control according to this article from The Guardian about the Canadian forest, US toilet paper, and climate change.

    Here are the AOC articles I mentioned on just one of the ways we save on paper:

    • Use cloth napkins with individual napkin rings to keep and use for a few days. This is also a great gift idea!
    • Our simple laundry system where I talk about washing cloth napkins, rags, and other things we use instead of paper (hint: you don't have to do extra loads...).

    And here is the link I promised to see Unpaper Towels, which I'm thinking of making. That's on Etsy - if you search more, you can see them on the upright towel holders (they were just more expensive or made with really thick layers). I'm more interested in the simple serge-edged flannel type. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a tutorial for the simple one-ply flannel towels I want to link to. You can do your own search if you're interested in seeing the other types.

    Farmhouse Updates

    Farmhouse new bedroom windows framed

    And the new windows are in! While we now have more windows than I imagined, it sure brings in more of the view, doesn't it?

    We also got these tasks marked off the list:

    • Exterior window molding-trim, as well as finishing the siding trim.
    • The expanded master bathroom subfloor.

    And this:

    vegetable garden fence in progress

    The vegetable garden deer fence is close to being finished! We need gates (obviously), and there will be an arbor over the gate with the higher posts.

    It coming together, but we need to step it up, since it's planting time and I'd like to be at least on time if I can't be early. 

    If you're wondering what the plan is for the garden, this article shows the vegetable garden full plan. It's changed a little from this, but the basic layout is the same.

    What's Cooking

    Curried turkey and rice soup

    Every once in awhile on the podcast I like to list what we actually ate the previous week. I want you to know I really menu plan and we eat simple, but from scratch food. Even though this week highlighted was a little different (hello turkey in March!), I hope it inspires you to plan simple foods your family loves!

    Last week's easy real food menu:

    Monday- Chicken oven nachos made with frozen rotisserie chicken (store bought or slow cooked)
    Tuesday- Tuscan Onion Soup (different because of an egg cooked in it)
    Wednesday- Roast Turkey, mashed potatoes, lemon garlic grated carrots (I usually buy an extra turkey during the holiday sales to roast in the winter for a dinner and to have the cooked, chopped turkey for freezing. They work in all the same recipes like these that chicken does)
    Thursday- leftovers
    Friday- Curried Turkey Rice Soup
    Saturday- Homemade Pizza
    Sunday- On Your Own

    This is Really Cool!

    pocket logo

    Brian's: Pocket - both for saving articles to read later and for the interesting daily email that comes to your inbox. It's where we find so many interesting articles, many that eventually make their way as a podcast topic.

    happy salmon game

    Jami's: Happy Salmon - the wild card game everyone loves, kids to adults! It was a hit with my niece and nephew and their friends.

    Thanks for listening! If you like this podcast, you can really help us out by telling your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us a review – that’s how other’s will find us too.

    And if you'd like to ask a question or leave an idea for future podcasts you can call (541) 658-0215 to leave a voicemail and we'll talk about it on the air!

    For more from An Oregon Cottage, follow on Instagram @AnOregonCottage, Facebook, and Pinterest, and subscribe to the AOC newsletter.

     

    Disclosure: affiliate links in this post will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn't change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.

     

    About Jami

    Since 2009 Jami Boys has been helping readers live a simple homemade life through whole food recipes, doable gardening, and easy DIY projects on An Oregon Cottage. From baking bread, to creating a floor from paper, to growing and preserving food, Jami shares the easiest ways to get things done. She's been featured in Cottages and Bungalows, Old House Journal, and First for Women magazines as well as numerous sites like Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and Apartment Therapy.

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    1. Mary Buzzell says

      March 23, 2019 at 2:01 pm

      Check this out. My daughter gave me several products as gifts at Christmas. The creator/seller lives in Eugene and my daughter knows her.
      https://www.etsy.com/shop/marleysmonsters

      Reply
      • Jami says

        March 25, 2019 at 11:44 am

        I totally had already seen her site, Mary - how fun that she's in Eugene!! Her's was one of the sites where I saw the simple serged-edged flannel towels that seemed the best (vs. the double layers made with terrycloth, which doesn't seem like a paper towel to me). She's got some great other stuff, too! Thank you.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jami and I'm so glad you're here! My desire is to help you live a simple homemade life through delicious whole food recipes, easy organic gardening and preserving your harvest.

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