Across the nation, people are making conscious decisions regarding their interactions with the environment. Energy audits are performed to determine ways to improve the home and reduce energy consumption, solar panels and low energy light bulbs are installed, and recycling bins utilized.
Another method gaining in popularity among Americans: changing to eco-friendly cleaning products. As large-scale stores like Target begin to carry more and more green cleaning lines in a variety of price ranges, more and more consumers are making the switch to these products. Target now stocks such names as method, Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, and Dr. Bronner's. Mainstream lines, such as Clorox Green Works, have launched eco-alternative cleaners guaranteed to work just as well as their traditional product, but lacking the harsh chemicals that negatively impact the environment. If you are lucky enough to reside near a Trader Joe's, they carry their own brand of cleaning products--including a powder laundry soap made from coconut!
Not only are most typical household cleaners chemically harsh, they are poisonous, corrosive, and pollute our water and air. Many tout 'antimicrobial,' but the effects of overusing antimicrobial agents are never explained. Germs are constantly evolving. By using such cleaners, you may be initially removing the unwanted germs, but they will adapt to become more resistant to the harsh chemicals. Some more interesting facts from the World Watch Institute:
*Cleaning products were responsible for nearly 10% of all toxic exposures reported to the U.S. Poison Control Centers in 2000, accounting for 206,636 calls. Of these, nearly two-thirds involved children under six
*According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside the typical home is on average 2-5 times more polluted than the air just outside, and in extreme cases 100 times more contaminated, largely because of household cleaners and pesticides.
*The Janitorial Products Pollution Prevention Project reports that 6 out of every 100 janitors in Washington state have lost time from their jobs as a result of injuries linked to toxic cleaning products, particularly glass and toilet cleaners and degreasers.
*In a 2002 U.S. Geological Survey study of contaminants in U.S. stream water, 69% of streams sampled contained persistent detergent metabolites, and 66% contained disinfectants.
By having the green products placed in the same location as harsh chemical cleaners, it provides the convenience and ease for the consumer to make the eco-friendly choice. Gone are the days of special ordering products or making special trips to specialty stores (which just used valuable gas and time).
So the next time you run out of your usual cleaning products, make sure to recycle the bottle, and grab the eco-friendly option from the shelf next time. Many are comparable in price, in the same location, and allow you to feel better about yourself. Every little bit helps!
