Port Strike Leaving Toilet Paper Aisle Bare? Why You Shouldn't Panic

Panic at the Costco! Toilet paper seems to be the first thing to fly off store shelves when consumers get wind of a possible shortage. This time, it's the International Longshoremen's Association strike that has people in a tizzy. Port employees on the East and Gulf Coasts have taken to the picket lines in protest of low wages and lost work due to automation. While this conflict will make some products hard to come by, toilet paper isn't one of them.

CNN reports that toilet paper isn't among the items that will be affected by the strike, since most of the U.S. supply is made in North America and is shipped by road or rail. However, that does little to solve the problems caused by panic buying. In short, the panic itself is causing the shortage, not the strike. So what can you do to make sure your home is stocked with this essential item? If your local stores are currently sold out, you don't need to go without. With a combo of strategic shopping and keeping a cool head, you don't have to suffer your own TP shortage.

There are plenty of ways, both conventional and otherwise, to ensure your TP shelf is always stocked. Ordering online or subscribing to regular deliveries rather than hitting the grocery store is a way to spend less on toilet paper and avoid the shock of bare shelves. If you do opt to shop in-store, maybe all but the seemingly unappealing TP made from recycled paper has been picked over at your local market: Don't necessarily turn your back on these products though; there are plenty of benefits to buying recycled toilet paper that range from sustainability to healthy plumbing, septic systems, and your own health, as well.

If you have dark memories of pandemic-era TP shortages and have no desire to relive them, you're not alone. Forgo toilet paper entirely with a bidet attachment for your existing toilet. You may want to invest in a bidet toilet seat or a bidet-toilet combo so you'll no longer sacrifice valuable storage space (and shortage-related stress) for toilet paper.

If you aren't willing to spend your hard-earned dough on a bidet attachment you're not sure you'll like, and you're feeling adventurous, there are plants you can grow as all-natural toilet paper solutions. This is unconventional, to say the least, and wiping with a plant leaf may be best left for camping trips. But if you're up for it, leaves from plants like broadleaf plantain (Plantago major), lamb's ear (Stachys byzantina), and Indian coleus (Plectranthus barbatus) are reliable substitutes, and they look lovely as they grow.