The Issue of the Tissue

I don’t like ironing. If there’s anything I can skip, I’ll skip it. At one time I used to iron everything until I learned the error of my ways. These days I only iron the essentials…. like shirts and handkerchiefs. Of course, a lot of materials don't need ironing anyway.

Shirts are obviously necessary, I wouldn’t allow my Guy outside the door in a crumpled one. But why do I consider handkerchiefs to be necessary? Well, the answer is because I like to see people using freshly ironed handkerchiefs instead of tissues. I’m not exactly obsessed with using cotton handkerchiefs but I do like to team them up with whatever outfit I wear. I can hear you giggling! It’s true, honestly, any handkerchief with floral embroidery in the corner gets teamed up with the kit of the day. Call me insane if you like but please allow me my idiosyncrasies.

Seriously though, when did the world’s people become so fanatical about using tissues? Someone has a cold, they use a tissue to blow their germs into, and then what do they do? Do they burn it? Oh no, they chuck the tissue in the nearest bin. Does anyone save them, take them home, and then burn them? Do they pop them into a plastic bag for later disposal? I wouldn’t know. I didn’t when I used them … until I stopped to think about what I was doing.

The health and safety people have a lot to answer for when it comes to wasting money. Remember the old adage ‘coughs spread germs? Well, so do used tissues.

At least with hankies you can wash the germs away.

At least with hankies we’re not causing more havoc for the planet?

At least with hankies we LOOK good when we use them.

World habits have become slovenly as well as costly. Why spend money on tissues when cotton ones last forever. Of course, the issue of the tissue could lead to other money saving and planet saving ideas, if only we’d stop and THINK.

I hear that Wales is going to charge 5p for any plastic and paper bags given to customers in shops and supermarkets. Ireland introduced a similar system a while back and a lot of English shops restrict the amount handed out, but is that the answer? Wouldn’t it be better not to have bags at all? I mean, what did we do before the invention of plastic carriers? We used our own, that’s what we did. Now we have to go back to old habits ... and about time, too. While watching the news programme I frowned on the people who actually complained about the idea. I’m not sure the planet will benefit but the economy certainly will.

Oh well, back to the ironing…… and must remember to switch off the electricity before I finish the shirts.