This post contains a totally awesome contest!! See details below!!

Sometimes, I wonder if there are people who do not attempt to change their habits because they just do not think that their little change is really going to have much of an impact in the overall scheme of things. Take for instance, paper towels. The facts are startling and really quite the “wake up call” when you think about the devastating impact that just one “act of convenience” actually has!

Did You Know:

• To make one ton of paper towels, 17 trees and 20,000 gallons of water are polluted.
• Every day, over 3,000 tons of paper towel waste is produced in the US alone.
• Decomposing paper towels produce methane gas, a leading cause of global warming.
• The average person uses 2,400 – 3,000 paper towels at work, in a given year.

That is a lot of waste all for the sake of convenience! One of the first changes that our family made when we began to really focus on reducing our footprint was the elimination of paper towels. I was so tired of the astronomical cost for such a wasteful idea. Use it once, throw it out? It’s an atrocity! How did our society get so disposable?

So they were officially gone-dy  in our house as soon as we were awakened to our nasty habit and what it meant for our planet. It sure did help to know that we were saving cash too!  Not all healthy and sustainable actions need to break the piggy bank. So as we have continued to do for over a year now, we do not ever ever ever purchase paper towels. I honestly do not remember the last time we did! We use old towels cut into pieces, socks that do not have matches anymore and I even tried to use some old undies but that is where SGD drew the line. He said there was something fundamentally wrong with that.

Though we have moved forward in our home, unfortunately this remains an issue in our disposable society. We have become so wasteful and we probably do not even realize it anymore. Doesn’t it seem “normal” to get a stack of 9 napkins for one taco at the drive through (not at all recommending drive through food here), or maybe you have seen those public bathrooms that are over-flowing with napkins coming out of the tops of the garbage cans? We are living in a disposable world and that really is a challenge we face as a society. However, one great way that we can make a difference is by individually and actively choosing NOT to add to it.

How?

Ooooh, you just had to ask! I want to introduce you to……

People Towels!!

“PeopleTowels is the newest concept in sustainability and the latest in eco-chic fashion. A Green alternative to paper towels in public facilties, these quick-drying, reusable personal hand towels are made of lightweight, 100% Organic, Fair Trade Cotton. PeopleTowels come in a variety of inspired designs, printed with eco-friendly dyes, to appeal to different tastes and styles” (People Towels).

These little personal towels are absorpent, classy, sassy and fun to carry! They are a great alternative to using paper towels when you are out anytime – anywhere and small enough to make them practical enough to carry around! I personally love having them to take a long with us as the mom of two sometimes messy kiddos. They are naturally into things, mouths speared with lunch, sticky hands  you name it! People Towels are awesome because I do not have to worry about napkins while we are out. T hey have a functional clip that makes it convenient to attach to a backpack, key chain or lunch box so it’s right there when you need it most.

Paper towels, whether they are made of recycled materials or not, “still produce an impact 100% greater than People Towels. Why recycle paper towels when you have Zero Waste with PeopleTowels?

Hand dryers may seem better than paper towels, but they aren’t as efficient as PeopleTowels and carry a heavy environmental burden” (People Towels). Think of the amazing difference if everyone banned the use of paper towels? Oh the joy – it would be so huge.

People Towels make me smile!

Made with 100% organic, fair trade cotton that is absobent enough to dry your hands, yet dries quickly

Hangtags allow you to easily clip to your backpack, purse or belt loop

100% certified Fair Trade product

Member of 1% for the Planet

Affordable and made with modern and fun designs

Convenient size makes them easy to carry along where ever you go

Silk screened with eco-friendly dyes

WIN!!!!    WIN!!!!    WIN!!!!    WIN!!!!

How would you lovely SGM readers like to WIN a set of three People Towels? They can be yours by entering here!

1. MANDATORY: Follow @peopletowels on Twitter and leave me a comment with your Twitter id

2. Follow @smilinggreenmom on Twitter and leave me a comment with your Twitter id

3. If you like my page on Facebook, just let me know who you are in a comment with your FB name

4. If you like People Towels page on Facebook, let me know who you are in a comment with your FB name

5. Subscribe to SGM by clicking on the button under “follow me” by RSS or email and let me know who you are!

Oh all the ways to win! This contest ends on July 8th at 11:59 EST and the winner will be drawn via random.org and announced on Friday July 9th!! Lots of luck

Disclosure: I did receive product in order to do this review but it in no way shaped my opinion on this product. The opinions expressed here are truthful and my own.