save a tree- cut down on paper towel use

I don't remember my mom using paper towels much.  Once I learned that dish towels often harbor a lot of germs, I started using paper towels a lot more in my own home.  But eventually I started feeling guilty about the waste and decided to wash my dish towels after one use.  I keep a plastic container with clean dish towels under the kitchen sink.  Now I pretty much only use paper towels to clean up grease and oil.