Although I personally wouldn't go for the bidet deal, I think there are few things more important in life that worrying about the impact our choices have on the environment. Not minor at all, in my opinion.
Using paper towels and toilet paper isn't destroying the environment.
Uh...yeah it is. Where do you think the paper comes from? Trees. And it's transported using fossil fuels and water is used in the processing.
Besides you were calling her cheap and trying to foist your own values on to her. Live how you want, but you don't need to lecture others.
Actually, I work a lot with paper making equipment. It is one of the cleanest industries.
We don't want to destroy forests for good. We own a good portion of our land and it is always replanted immediately. We have very strict guidelines on where this land can be, and we work long hours with government agencies to ensure we don't harm the local ecosystem.
Most factories have so much waste, but not papermills. Everything about a tree is used in the paper making process, down to the bark. We do not have anything come into the mill that does not leave as a product or useful item.
I have had long conversations with high management within these companies. They are genuinely concerned if the environment is ever put in jeopardy. Everyone wants to make the big bad corporations to be the enemies... but some of them are just trying to provide a service and be responsible along the way.
You might think you're away from paper products, but I can promise you that nothing you currently have would be so cheap if it wasn't for a cardboard box somewhere along the process. Since it is cheap, you were able to get your savings.
No factory is capable of being totally green. But current day papermills are getting very close.
At least the ones I have worked with are.