ecologically-friendly laundry products

With a new high efficiency washer, you must use HE detergent.  A concentrated detergent is made with less water and therefore less packaging, so you can be efficient while lightening the load on your shoulder!  When shopping for detergent, look for the HE logo  and simplify the selection by doing a comparison cost-per-load calculation.   All HE detergents are low sudsing and quick-dispersing.  They work by holding the soil in suspension instead of re-depositing it on the clothes.  HE washers have two to four rinse cycles, rather than one deep rinse as in an agitator washer.  As part of their energy savings, they remove more water from your laundry, requiring less dry time.

Getting rid of your old agitator washer for a new high efficiency model will reduce your energy bills, because there’s much less water to heat.   HE washers use less water because they clean with a tumbling action.  This motion, along with clean rinsing laundry products is gentler on fabrics. States  are offering rebates to those replacing old appliances with an Energy Star model.  Rules vary by state regarding recycling of your clunker appliance, along with the state’s allocation dollars and start dates for the program.  Although about $300 million in federal funds are making this program a possibility, many states are expected to refund the money quickly even though they have until February 2012 to use up the funds.

Our long hard winter has awakened to one of the most allergy-causing spring seasons in years.  The delayed blooming of plants and trees has resulted in many appearing at once to irritate our eyes, sinuses, throats and lungs.  Learn about the origin of “hay fever” and recognize the worst offenders  in your area of the country.  When visiting a doctor for my daughter’s allergy symptoms, I learned of the existence of an experimental ragweed farm near our home.  In some cases medication is unavoidable, but I like to see what else I can do to alleviate her symptoms.

Although the budding foliage may be beautiful to look at, we may be anxious to seek the indoor comfort of our homes.  An easy tip is to remove your shoes – there’s pollen on the soles – before entering your home.  Another way to find some relief is to use a hypoallergenic detergent for your clothes and bedding.  Avoid using down pillows and comforters, and wash your bedding in hot water with a hypoallergenic detergent like adcoeco.  The small bottle is concentrated; remember to not use more detergent than necessary and you’ll avoid an additional rinse cycle.  Additionally, adcoeco contains no dyes or perfumes, so you can enjoy a good night’s sleep (windows closed, of course).

Our culture sure does love sports.  We quickly jump from the Final Four to Opening Day.  Growing up I played whiffle ball or used a homemade Great Depression model rag ball that my dad had sewn.  In the carefree 60’s and 70’s we gathered cousins and neighbors to play our games in the street.   Green would only mean that the ball had been hit foul to a neighbor’s yard – the environment was not our concern.

I took an online quiz questoning “the least green sport.”  The answer:  baseball.  In the green arena, Major League Baseball has been criticized for their association with Scott’s MiracleGro, which promotes chemical-heavy turf management.   Consider the watering, lighting and concession stand trash at a ballpark.  In addition, the home team is required to have 90 new baseballs on hand, with usually 5-6 dozen used per game. 

But MLB has started to move in the green direction.  The Washington Nationals Park was the first major league ballpark to be certified as a LEED green building.  Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is an accreditation by the U S Green Building Council after meeting their standards of sustainability.  The Green Building Council rates:

•  Location and Planning
•  Sustainable Sites
•  Water Efficiency
•  Energy and Atmosphere
•  Materials and Resources
•  Indoor Environmental Quality
•  Innovation and Design Process
•  Regional Priority

The Nationals Park is close to public transportation, has water-conserving plumbing fixtures, efficient lighting, and a roof of highly reflective material. 

Following Washington around the bases is Minnesota’s Target Field.  The Twins’ stadium will collect, filter, and re-use rainwater, reducing municipal water usage by 2 million gallons a year.  A rain-out won’t be all bad!  In the clubhouse, offices, and training room, a water filtration system will reduce the use of bottled water.  Now if only the hot dogs were healthy!  There is a new menu item at the home of the Toledo Mud Hens.  The 15 scoop “Fifth Third Fanatic Freeze Sundae,” served in a souvenir helmet for $25.  I hope the sticky helmets don’t end up in the trash.  But healthier food is another trend that the stadiums should change, and another blog.