Gas

Prices for regular unleaded gas as of Mar. 25:

Edgartown

Airport Mobil $2.699 Depot Corner $2.599

Edgartown Mobil $2.659

Oak Bluffs

deBettencourt’s $2.699

Jim’s $2.729

Vineyard Haven

Citgo $2.629

Tisbury Shell $2.659

West Tisbury

Up-Island Automotive $2.539

10 per cent discount on Sundays

Menemsha

Menemsha Texaco $2.399

Massachusetts state average (source: AAA) $1.935

Grocery Basket

Try using Sheryl Crow, Karl Rove and toilet paper all in one sentence. Remember a few years ago when she suggested using only one square of toilet paper as a way to save the planet — as a joke — and, after a testy meeting with Karl Rove, found her comment leaked (sorry) as a serious statement?

In the last few months, sales of premium toilet paper have dropped seven per cent. While Americans search for ways to scrimp, they may also be helping the environment, since the less fluffy, cheaper stuff is often made from recycled materials.

Harsh economic times call for harsh solutions.

Last month Greenpeace released a guide ranking toilet paper, paper towels, paper napkins and facial tissues in a handy size to print and carry to the grocery store. But don’t waste paper printing it unless you go off-Island to shop because we don’t have that many options. We did the paper chase for you.

The only two brands available here that Greenpeace likes for all products are Seventh Generation and Green Forest. Stop & Shop carries Seventh Generation toilet paper while Cronig’s has their toilet paper, tissues and paper towels and Green Forest paper napkins. Reliable carries Green Forest toilet paper and tissues.

Greenpeace also likes Marcal Small Steps paper towels and paper napkins; Stop & Shop has their paper towels as well as their toilet paper, which Greenpeace thinks needs improvement. But they think all other brands should be avoided. The details are at greenpeace.org/tissueguide.

On Mar. 25 we shopped for:

Cottonelle Aloe + E or regular toilet paper (4 rolls)

Scott 1000 toilet paper (6 rolls)

Charmin Ultra Soft/Strong toilet paper (4 rolls)

Kleenex tissue (cube – 100 sheets)

Puffs tissue (cube – 60 sheets)

Vanity Fair paper napkins (100)

Scott paper towels (1 roll)

Bounty paper towels (1 roll)

The total cost* before tax for each order was:

$22.15 at Reliable,

$25.33 at Stop & Shop,

$27.01 at Cronig’s without Our Island Club card, or

$24.31 at Cronig’s with the card.

As Reliable has a limited number of brands, we did comparisons for additional brands carried by the other two stores:

Seventh Generation toilet paper (4 rolls)

Quilted Northern Soft & Strong toilet paper (8 rolls)

Angel Soft toilet paper (4 rolls)

Charmin Plus (6 rolls)

Kleenex paper napkins (50)

Viva paper towels (1 roll)

With items available at two stores only, the additional cost was:

$24.14 at Stop & Shop,

$23.59 at Cronig’s without Our Island Club card, or

$21.23 at Cronig’s with the card.

*Stop & Shop had Vanity Fair tissue and Kleenex paper napkins on sale with their free frequent shopper card; sales run from Friday to Thursday. Cronig’s gives a 10 per cent discount to Our Island Club cardholders, which charges an annual fee. Reliable had Charmin on sale; sales run from Friday to the following Saturday.

These prices represent a snapshot in time only; on any date prices may vary.