Green laundry products

One thing we all do, and do LOTS, over the course of our lives, is laundry. That's a lot of water, and a lot of chemicals, we use and re-use. It stands to reason, that this is one easy way to reclaim respect for the world around us, and a way to conserve our precious natural resources.

Most people think nothing about it. We've always bought Tide, Gain, whatever is on sale, and as long as it SMELLED good and cleaned those ketchup or grass stains reasonably well, it could be trusted, right? Think again. Most major brands don't list ingredients. Sure, it's a "trade secret", perhaps. That, and they don't want you to know what nasty chemicals are soaking into your skin every day. Nor what dangerous pollutants are being sent into our water supplies. Toxic, carcinogenic, you name it, it's often there. For more information on the actual ingredients in most laundry detergents, check this:

Laundry detergent ingredients info

If you're like me, it's enough to make you consider some healthier, more natural alternatives. There are already a steadily-growing number of brands marketing more "eco-conscious" products. I see Seventh Generation and Method products in mainstream stores, but they do seem quite pricey to my single-homeowner micro-budget. I also see Purex and Arm & Hammer nestling in on the "natural" bandwagon, and they are more affordable. The Purex (green bottle) is fine, and supposedly free of many of the petrochemicals of the bigger brands, but doesn't seem to do as well with the cleaning. I like Arm & Hammer's Essentials (also in the green bottle), which is touted as using "100% natural surfactants", no petroleum-derived ingredients, etc. The "mountain rain" scent is appealing to me, it uses real baking soda (one of the natural miracle household cleaners) and I feel like I'm helping, in whatever small way, to prevent nonrenewable petroleum products and harmful chemicals from leaching into our environment.

Anybody have anything pro or con to say about Arm & Hammer Essentials or any other "natural"-oriented brands?

Arm & Hammer Essentials natural deodorant

Ah, "greenwashing". This is a pretty new-ish term to describe advertising or product labeling that, in some way, misleads the public into believing that it's all "environmentally-friendly". Sometimes, products are really, truly eco-conscious, and others make no bones about being "dangerous" or hazardous. Nowadays, as the greening of America gets deeper and more mainstream, some manufacturers are making misleading claims or packaging. I recently found that my Arm & Hammer "Essentials Natural Deodorant", which the front packaging claims to be "Natural protection, aluminum-free, paraben-free". Yup, check. No problem there. But listed in the ingredients is the potentially-harmful antibacterial agent Triclosan (present in many hand (and body) washing products). Not that it's something that really matters a whole lot, but it DOES contribute to the algaefication of our natural bodies of water, and can potentially usher in new, super-viruses that are resistant to our antibodies. So, in effect, as much as I love Arm & Hammer baking soda (and many of their products), this deodorant isn't all it's cracked up to be. It does seem relatively effective in keeping my odors at bay, for what it's worth.

Natural products at...Big Lots?

Sometimes, it seems that eating/drinking/living "green" in the United States is only for the well-to-do. After all, buying organic produce is often substantially more expensive than purchasing conventional fruits and vegetables. That sucks. And a lot of other "natural" products are also pricier than their normal, chemically-toxic relatives. And, if you are like me and don't live in a very environmentally-friendly (read: big coal area) state, you may have no access to stuff like Whole Foods.
But there is an option, sometimes overlooked. Big Lots.

Yes, that remainder/discount store chain can be a nice source for organic products and natural-living items, sometimes at deeply-discounted prices. I've found all kinds of superb teas there -- Honest Teas for 70 cents (rather than the $1.49-$1.99 range), bottled yerba mate, Annie's organic macaroni & cheese, Blue Diamond crackers, Arm & Hammer Natural deodorant, Seapoint Farms edamame, Tom's Of Maine toothpaste/mouthwash, and more.

It takes an ardent hunter of values these days, and this can be a way to get by "going green" while "saving green". Bad pun.