Bathroom break! Single use towels in public restrooms are the biggest pits of waste. One way to circumvent all this trash is to bring your own re-usable hand towel or hanky. The MSR Packtowl is pretty amazing in its absorbency and size. At 10x14, this waste-saver is just small enough to fit in your pocket, backpack, or purse. If you're crafty, give your towel a customized touch with a bitchin' stitch or monogram. If you're smart, give this highly absorbent towel a spin.

If you take pretty good care of your clothes, and you don't have any to spare for spills in the kitchen, look to microfiber towels as a solid solution. These towels are built to last. They are stronger than the average dishtowel, and are designed to snag up rouge spills with miniature, unseen-by-the-naked-eye hooks.

Hopefully, the few tips above will help you confront the paper-towel junky within, and take some action to reduce your personal waste and consumption.