Meet the woman who tried to live without loo roll

APerthshire woman tried ditching loo roll as part of her sustainable living campaign – but admits “it’s not going to catch on”.

Pat Doran, of Glenfarg, is on a mission to reduce her carbon footprint. She has even tried using wet rags instead of toilet paper.

However, she says others might get “a bit stressy” about trying that one out.

Over the past few weeks, our “Saving the planet one step at a time” series has told the stories of local people who are doing their bit to help the environment.

From avoiding excess packaging by making their own snacks to not buying clothes for a year, we hope their stories have inspired those who want to make a difference.

Have you been inspired by the eco champions featured in our sustainable living series? Or has it left you feeling a little overwhelmed?

Pat, 51, might have some words of comfort. She says the secret to success is keeping it simple.

“I started in the bathroom because it’s easier to start in the bathroom than anywhere else,” said Pat.

Taking a “room by room” approach to tackling her plastic use broke things down into manageable chunks.

“I just thought ‘what’s going to be simple or easy?’ I replaced things like soap and shampoo. It’s quite nice doing those things because you get to buy nice stuff,” she said.

“I used up what I had left and at the same time experimented with using solid shampoos and things.” Pat has been buying plastic wrapping-free toilet roll for some time. She has also experimented with “using old cloths and just washing them”.

“That’s OK to some degree but it’s not going to be OK all the time. You feel a bit cleaner sometimes,” she said.

The move meant she didn’t have to worry about people panic-buying toilet roll during lockdown.

However, she added: “It’s not going to catch on! I think folk will get a bit stressy about that.”

Pat said sustainable living involves “a tiny bit of mindfulness”. By that she means being aware of the things you use and the legacy they will leave in terms of plastic pollution or carbon footprint.

It’s not going to catch on... I think folk will get a bit stressy about that

ON A MISSION: Pat Doran, from Glenfarg, has taken some unusual steps in her efforts to save the planet.