Jason Mraz's Shitty Proposition

06/04/09 5:19pm

by Bianca Marcus (CHARTattack)

According to Jason Mraz (and the U.S. Natural Resource Defense Council), Americans' "addiction" to plush, velvety-soft toilet paper is killing the planet.

In a June 3 blog, Mraz wrote that the damage caused by the amount of TP consumed in the U.S. (and presumably Canada) is even worse than that caused by cars.

Virgin trees in North America, Latin America, and some Canadian old-growth forests are harvested to make the oh-so-soft shit sheets, which in turn means less oxygen to offset the carbon in our atmosphere.

As "addicts" of the white stuff, we need an intervention. In addition to urging readers to use recycled or partly recycled paper, Mraz has a few tips to help us kick the habit.

"Start small," he says. "Challenge yourself to use only eight squares in your session."

"Use both sides. I mean that. […] Fold the paper again and again using a clean angle from the very same square."

I knew those origami classes would be useful someday...

"Should you find the paper too thin and become the victim of too many breakthroughs, try using a stronger material as a backing. This worked when I was camping," wrote the singer-songwriter. "The paper wasn't holding up in the dampness of camp, so I used a leaf to give the paper more strength from behind."

Thanks Mraz! We're "behind" you 110 per cent.

For more from the Mraz, including travel stories and info on how to stay healthy, visit his blog, Freshness Factor Five Thousand.

Jason Mraz will play the following concerts:

June 20 Croyde Bay, England @ Gold Coast Ocean Festival
June 22 Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
June 23 Copenhagen, Denmark @ Falconer Theatre (SOLD OUT)
June 26-27 Pilton, England @ Worthy Farm (Glastonbury Festival)
June 29-30 Paris, France @ Zenith
July 2 Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Westerpark
July 3 Werchter, Belgium @ Rock Werchter Festival
July 4 Herouville Saint Clair, France @ Beauregard Festival
July 6 Stuttgart, Germany @ Freilichtbhe Killesberg
July 7 Freiburg, Germany @ Zelt Music Festival
July 8 Monte Carlo, Monaco @ Le Sporting Club
July 9 Nimes, France @ Antic Arena
July 11 Balado, Scotland @ Balado Airfield (T In The Park)
July 12 Eadestown, Ireland @ Punchestown Racecourse (Oxegen Festival)
July 15 Barcelona, Spain @ Pueblo Espanol
July 16 Madrid, Spain @ La Riviera
July 18 Oporto, Portugal @ Mares Vivas Festival
July 24 Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium
July 25 Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 27 Atlanta, GA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
July 28 Charlotte, NC @ Uptown Amphitheater
July 29 Cary, NC @ Cary's Booth Amphitheater
July 31 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
Aug. 1 Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean-Drapeau (Osheaga Music and Arts Festival)
Aug. 2 Canandaigua, NY @ CMAC
Aug. 4-5 Boston, MA @ Bank Of America Pavilion
Aug. 7 Wantagh, NY @ Nikon At Jones Beach Theater
Aug. 8 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
Aug. 9 Philadelphia, PA @ Festival Pier At Penn's Landing
Aug. 13 Chicago, IL @ Charter One Pavilion
Aug. 14 Sterling Heights, MI @ Freedom Hill
Aug. 15 Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
Aug. 17 Cleveland, OH @ Time Warner Cable Amphitheater
Aug. 18 Indianapolis, IN @ Indiana State Fair
Aug. 20 St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
Aug. 28 Murphy's, CA @ Ironstone Amphitheater
Aug. 29 San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Music And Arts Festival
Aug. 30 Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center w/ Dave Matthews Band
Sept. 6 Seattle, WA @ Seattle Center (Bumbershoot Festival)
Sept. 18 Tempe, Arizona @ Tempe Beach Park (AZ Fall Frenzy)