Make A Difference This Earth Day And Every Day
I recently had a conversation with a woman who really wants to do the right thing and care for the environment. Her solution is to make her own “green” cleaners.
Great idea, but doesn’t that take a lot of time and effort? She agreed it did and she didn’t always have the time to do it.
Have you ever used vinegar to clean? It leaves a really nice “pickle” smell.
Spokane County, Washington, has banned the use of dishwasher detergents that contain phosphates. Phosphates get into the waterways and cause the algae to grow out of control which then sucks the oxygen out of the water and the fish die.
Some phosphate free products do not clean as well as homemakers have come to expect.
Women have started crossing the border, the Idaho border, and buying trunk loads of cleaners, especially dishwasher detergent, and are bringing them back home to their friends and neighbors.
Gives a whole new meaning to “thunder road,” only this time who would expect it is dishwasher detergents instead of booze.
Years ago, long before the now popular trend of using “green” products, I was introduced to a “green” cleaner by a friend who pestered me endlessly until I tried it. When I did, I liked it and it became a family favorite.
Caring for the environment wasn’t a big issue then. The term “green” wasn’t in our vocabulary. I used the product because it worked, was economical and I liked it.
Fast forward thirty-seven years. Our family is still using this “GREEN CLEANER” plus other “green” cleaners in the line. We have effortlessly helped protect the environment and saved tons of money.
How much? It is estimated I would spend nearly $482 for the equivalent amount of all-purpose cleaner, or $12,000 for the equivalent amount of window cleaner or $144 for the equivalent amount of degreaser this one 16 oz. super concentrated cleaner would replace.
Besides the money saved, the sales of these “green, safe, powerful” cleaners in the year 2008 kept 10,230,732 pounds of packaging waste out of landfills and 23,492,792 pounds of greenhouse gas was eliminated from the environment.
Already this year, 2009, 38 million pounds of packaging waste has been kept out of landfills and 88 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions have been eliminated.
Add this interesting detail…the purchase of the “green” cleaner I love has alone eliminated the equivalent of 2.7 BILLION bottles of conventional 26 ounce window cleaner!! If placed end to end, those bottles would wrap around the earth 18 TIMES!
Some of the benefits we have experienced: A septic tank that never has to be pumped even after 25 years of us living in our home. Our clothes last longer and we have very few if any plumbing problems. There are no toxic fumes from household cleaners to inhale.
To learn more about these products read this edition of Making a Difference!, click here
