Green Goods

After watching a Frontline episode about the state of water quality, I decided I needed to put more action to my thoughts and begin to revamp how I live my life, so I have been changing over to some of the new 'green' products on the market. These products fill a new and rapidly increasing market, and I have heard that some "don't do anything" and some are the next best thing. So, I thought I'd take you along on my journey by sharing my experiences with the products I have been using.

Most of these are being bought as I run out of other things, so it is in a fairly random order. Also, we all know about CFLs, and we all should be using them, so I won't bother to beat that subject to death. (Although I await consumer LED lamps with bated breath...)

Sturdi® Degradables
These trash bags come in your normal kitchen-size as well as ubiquitous black trash bag and lawn/leaf. They claim to be 100% degradable, as in, they will break down over time, mostly due to interaction with light. Not quite as cool as fully biodegradable bags would be, but a step in the right direction. These bags don't have any of those fancy 'technologies' of the bigger brands, but they are just as robust as any other trash bag I've ever used.
My rating: 5/5

TerraCycle™ All Purpose Cleaner
A great product from a great company. This cleaner works great for every day use, and is completely non-toxic and packaged in what they call "waste-stream" packaging. Essentially, your bottle of cleaner once was a liter bottle of something else, and the spray cap was a spray cap to something else as well. I have been using this to clean sticky messes up off my kitchen counter (non-toxic, remember?), and it works great, especially if you give it about 10 seconds to soak for a big mess. For example, the very first thing I used it on was a big gob of honey that had spilled down the side of my honey jar and coalesced on the counter. Being a chore to clean up, it sat there for 2-3 days (I know, I know). First I sprayed cleaner on and tried to wipe immediately to limited success, but then I sprayed a bit on, let it sit for about 15 seconds, and wiped the whole mess up with my (biodegradable) sponge in one go. The only downside is that, like other cleaners, it doesn't smell so great, but at least it isn't caustic-bleach-smell. This company also offers a bathroom cleaner that I have not yet tried.
My rating: 5/5

Scotch-Brite™ biodegradable absorbent sponges
I got these sponges to lessen the amount of paper towels I use. They pretty much seem like your average traditional sponge, except that, being made from recycled paper, they will biodegrade once I throw them away. I have found them to be dead useful, and even if they start to break apart a little sooner than their cousins (which they do), I personally don't want to keep a sponge for years anyway. You can find the whole range of products here. I have only used the above-mentioned sponges, but I plan on using the others as well.
My rating: 4/5


Ecos Free & Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent
After being a long-time Tide user, I've switched over to this detergent. I chose the free & clear version with no dyes or scents, since I think both of those are superfluous in something you are going to pour down the drain. (I don't buy detergent to look at or smell...) So far it has been working great, even on my work-shirts that get various grime, grease and dirt on them. I was always a fan of the 'bleach-alternative' Tide products, so my only disappointment is the slightly reduced function on bad stains. However, since these are probably in the minority of your laundry, grab a stain stick or spray and you should be set to go.
My rating: 4/5


Method® gel hand wash refill
Again, I chose the 'free of dyes + perfumes' (a.k.a. 'go naked') version for basically the same reason as above. Also, though, I didn't like the two other scents that were available at that particular retailer. This soap is everything you expect from a soap, and is not antibacterial, which, if you are not in a hospital, clinic, or nursing home, you probably don't need. It's another topic, but antibacterial soaps are a very, very bad thing, so trust me here. The refills also come in these sweet pouches that the manufacturer claims allows an "83% savings in plastic, water + energy." I'm all for it.
My rating: 5/5


Method® all surface wipes
Same 'go naked' version as the soap above. I like the advent of these cleaning wipes, and now I can get them in a greener version. Generally, it is better to use a reusable cloth and a bottle of spray, but sometimes you have something to clean up that you'd rather not keep around, or you need the portability the wipes offer. And at least these are "compostable" and made with eco-friendly cleaning agents. The wipes are made from bamboo, and the packaging is also minimized. Sometimes the lid can leak air a little, though, causing your wipes to begin to dry out, so make sure you snap it tight, or maybe put the bag inside another bag for long-term storage.
My rating: 4/5

That's all for now. I have a few other things I am currently using, and I plan on continuing to pursue these products further, so I will have more suggestions and reviews later on. Let me know what you think or suggest other products for me to try by leaving a comment.


Note: I have not, in any way, been reimbursed for any of these reviews by any company or person. These are purely my opinions. All product names are registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers.