You may be an using old-growth tree in bathroom

With everyone spending more time at home, demand for residential toilet paper is way up. That’s bad news for the world’s oldest forests. Unlike the industrial rolls found in many offices and restaurants, the cushy toilet paper Americans love for their own bathrooms is made almost entirely of trees cut from virgin forests. Procter & Gamble Co. — maker of Charmin, the country’s most popular brand — has defended the practice in part by saying it plants a tree for every one it cuts down. It also pays to protect trees in other parts of the world as a way of offsetting some of its greenhouse gas emissions. But carbon accounting isn’t that simple. Forests store carbon in the soil, not just in trees, and that isn’t so easily replaced.

A rundown of how major manufacturers treat trees:

Procter & Gamble

Brand: Charmin

Made from virgin forest? Yes

Replants trees? Yes, 1:1

Buys carbon offsets? Yes, but not to cover emissions from toilet paper.

The company says: “Every decision we make is guided by what’s best for consumers and the environment. P&G has committed to using recycled fibers where it can have the most benefit for our consumers.”– P&G spokesperson

Costco

Brand: Kirkland

Made from virgin forest? Yes

Replants trees? No

Buys carbon offsets? No

The company says: Declined to comment

Unilever

Brand: Seventh Generation

Made from virgin forest? No

Replants trees? N/A

Buys carbon offsets? No

The company says: “There is no reason to cut down trees and invest other resources to produce tissue paper products that are used once and discarded.” Martin Wolf, Seventh Generation director of sustainability and authenticity

Georgia-Pacific

Brand: Angel Soft

Made from virgin forest? Yes

Replants trees? Yes, 1:1

Buys carbon offsets? No

Brand: Quilted Northern

Made from virgin forest? Yes

Replants trees? Yes, 1:1 for all, except 1:3 for EcoComfort subbrand

Buys carbon offsets? No

Brand: Aria

Made from virgin forest? Yes

Replants trees? Yes, 1:3

Buys carbon offsets? No

The company says: “Though our business requires the use of this natural resource, we are committed to helping maintain healthy forests now and into the future by using resources more efficiently by sourcing responsibly, protecting endangered forests and special areas, and supporting wildlife conservation and biodiversity.” — Georgia-Pacific spokesperson Eric Abercrombie

Kimberly-Clark

Brand: Scott

Made from virgin forest? Yes

Replants trees? Did not respond

Buys carbon offsets? No

Brand: Cottonelle

Made from virgin forest? Yes

Replants trees? Did not respond

Buys carbon offsets? No

The company says: Did not respond

Amazon.com

Brand: Presto

Made from virgin forest? Yes

Replants trees? No

Buys carbon offsets? Not yet, but eventually, as part of its plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2040

Brand: Solimo

Made from virgin forest? Yes

Replants trees? No

Buys carbon offsets? Not yet, but eventually, as part of its plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2040

The company says: “We support nature-based solutions, which refer to conservation, restoration, and improved land management actions that increase carbon storage or avoid greenhouse gas emissions in forests, wetlands, and grasslands across the globe.” — Amazon spokesperson