Bidets are bathroom fixtures that use a gentle stream of water to clean your underside. Because they rely on water to operate, many people intuitively guess that bidets are problematic from the perspective of water conservation or environmentalism.
But the opposite is true. Bidets are, almost universally, better for the environment than using toilet paper.
How can this be? And is it really worth installing a bidet in your bathroom?
Toilet Paper and Water Dynamics
The most important piece of the environmental sustainability equation is water, but the dynamics of water as they pertain to bidets and toilet paper are somewhat complicated.
First, it’s important to understand that bidets use a very small amount of water. Depending on what type of bidet you use and how you use it, you’ll likely use far less water cleaning yourself than you do with a single flush of the toilet. After installing this device and using it regularly, you probably won’t even notice a change in your water bill.
Toilet paper, in contrast, is produced using a massive amount of water. To make toilet paper, we need to cut down trees. To grow those trees, we need hundreds of thousands of gallons of water, provided regularly. Because using a bidet means using significantly less toilet paper, and potentially eliminating toilet paper altogether, the net water savings are huge.
We must also account for peripheral environmental costs associated with toilet paper. In addition to using a tremendous amount of water to grow trees, the toilet paper industry must expend significant energy resources in cutting down those trees, processing the wood, and making the toilet paper. Non-biodegradable resources are often used to package that toilet paper, and fossil fuels are used to ship it around the world. Toilet paper itself may be fairly cheap, but the environmental costs are disproportionately heavy.
On top of that, toilet paper often contains perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are “forever chemicals” that are incredibly difficult to break down. While the science on these substances is still fairly new, they’re thought to be associated with significant health risks in humans.
Because of all these factors and more, bidets are indisputably better for the environment.
Other Benefits of Using a Bidet
Environmental friendliness isn’t the only benefit of using a bidet, however.
1. More comfort
If you’ve never used a bidet before, it might be a slightly uncomfortable experience for you at first. But once you get used to it, you’ll wonder how you ever managed to use toilet paper. Cleaning yourself with a bidet is a much more comfortable experience, even compared to the most luxurious, softest toilet paper brands.
2. A cleaner feeling
Conduct this experiment. Cover your hands with dirt and soil, then wipe them off with a napkin. Do they feel clean? Chances are, your hands won’t feel truly clean until you wash them with water. That’s because washing with water almost always gets you cleaner than simply wiping with paper – and the same concept holds true in the bathroom.
3. Infectious disease mitigation
Some people choose to install bidets because they can help fight the spread of infectious diseases. Cleaning with a bidet is a more hygienic, mostly hands-free experience that has the potential to mitigate spreading illness.
4. Fewer health complications
Evidence shows that bidets can be useful in mitigating certain health complications, such as hemorrhoids. If you have a medical condition that causes or is worsened by discomfort while using the bathroom, a bidet could significantly improve your quality of life – and potentially help you avoid the health complication altogether.
5. Low cost
If those benefits haven’t convinced you yet, you’ll be pleased to know that bidets are cheaper than most people think. Modern bidets are designed to be as simple, yet effective as possible, making them both affordable and game-changing. If you want something with the latest and greatest technology, you can find more expensive models with more features. But if you’re just looking for something basic, you can find an abundance of options for less than $100 – which is probably less than you spend on toilet paper in a single year.
6. Ease of installation
If you’re concerned about replumbing your bathroom, don’t worry. Today’s bidets are designed to be incredibly easy to install. With a bidet attachment, you can take advantage of your existing plumbing – and finish the job in less than an hour in most cases.
If you care about the environment, if you like the idea of conserving water, or if you just want to save a bit more money on toilet paper, bidets are a great investment. And since they’re more accessible and easier to install than ever before, now is the perfect time to try one if you’ve never had the experience.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
