I don't use paper towels much except to dump out coffee grounds from the french press, but I keep several hundred rolls of toilet paper in reserve for a rainy day; I don't shop at Costco much so I tend to buy a bulk pack of the Charmin just about every time I stop in. And I'm not very eco friendly on the utensils, plates and cups, I stock a couple hundred plastic or chinette plates for neighborhood or maybe long term use. I don't think the biodegradable options stand up to food that well, and when wet they become worthless. The plastic/chinette plates and cups can soak in the rain all day and still hold food. I bought my supply for the proverbial dollar at the Dollar Store one day, and have never used them - so maybe that counts almost like taking it out of the waste stream.