Robin Greenfield embarked on his journey to eliminate toilet paper for the first time in 2013 by using leftover napkins and tissues as substitutes.
However, five years ago, he discovered that the leaves of the Blue Spur Flower might be an even better alternative due to their size and shape, leading him to adopt them as a long-term solution.
Greenfield stated: “The consumption of toilet paper leads to deforestation and the excessive use of fossil fuels in transportation. Therefore, our message of developing our own products at home and seeking alternatives to consumerism has never been more relevant.”
Environmental activist Robin Greenfield using leaves as toilet paper.
Greenfield revealed that the Blue Spur Flower can be grown in your backyard, meaning you could have a lifetime supply of toilet paper.
According to SWNS, this plant is native to South Asia and Africa, and it is what Greenfield refers to as “the toilet paper plant” in a recent video aptly titled “Grow Your Own Toilet Paper.”
He also noted on his website that this plant grows in Florida, various regions of California; the southern parts of South Carolina and Georgia; the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana; southern Texas; and some areas of southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada.
Greenfield explained that this plant cannot withstand excessively cold weather, but it can be grown in pots indoors and brought inside during freezing conditions.
The activist mentioned that this plant has a natural “minty” scent and described its leaves as “super soft” and robust.
Many commenters on YouTube praised him for having a “great idea,” while one person grouched: “Why plant and offend a plant?”
However, Greenfield describes his toilet paper waste reduction idea as a “simple” one.
“Currently, we are completely dependent on corporations that are making millions by destroying the planet. Fossil fuels and large factories are causing immense devastation, and growing your own toilet paper is both fun and environmentally friendly,” he added.
Recently, he traveled around Florida to raise awareness about this solution.
On average, an American spends about $11,000 on toilet paper over their lifetime—a figure previously reported by The Post—and using leaves as a substitute could save a considerable amount of money.
In the past, Greenfield has drawn attention to other environmental efforts.
Last year, he confined himself to a trash can for a month to raise awareness about waste consumption, collecting the items he discarded each day.
He walked the streets of Los Angeles to demonstrate how much waste people consume on average.
In 2020, he posted a video explaining how and why he decided to grow and source 100% of his food for an entire year.
At the end of April and beginning of May, Greenfield undertook an 11-day journey he called “The Florida Man Tour”—part of his self-proclaimed initiative “Grow Your Own Toilet Paper.”
Greenfield traveled across various regions of Florida with his biodegradable toilet, showing people exactly how they could use these toilet paper leaves in their daily lives.
He mentioned that this is just “one of the solutions to our environmental crisis.”
