Squared Toilet Paper = Less Waste

square toilet paper shigeru ban via Lintcoat

Whether it's quilted, cottony-soft or recycled, toilet paper still has a long way to go before it eschews the dubious honour of being an ubiquitous symbol of a wasteful society. So it's always a good idea to: a) not use too much; b) to get treeless TP; or c) to just get a bidet (psst... it's actually cleaner). It's also worth repeating that if everyone used toilet paper like we did, there would be no forests left. But this humble roll can change.

Well-known for his innovative use of paper as a structural element, architect Shigeru Ban also turned his attention to re-conceptualizing the roll itself in a 2000 exhibition called Re-Design: Daily Products of the 21st Century. Ban reduced the amount of paper that rolls off the tube by making it square instead of round, so that what you take is what you really need. According to Adbusters, Ban also designed the roll to actually speak as well:

A tug is met with resistance as the roll’s squared corner encounters the edge of the metal dispenser. "Kata," says the roll. "Kata-kata-kata," each corner voicing protest as it passes. Need is no longer met by silent compliance. The roll will yield, but not without dissent. The result, hopefully, is a heightened consciousness of use.

A speaking toilet roll may be too much, but squaring off overuse is a step in the right direction.

via Lintcoat (Thanks to tipster Greg Tuck)

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