posted Jun 21, 2008 6:03 PM by Michael McNabb
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updated Jul 2, 2008 11:29 AM
]
Some Whole Foods products have come under fire recently for having 1,4
dioxane content. (They are not the only ones, I am waiting on an e-mail
back from Method Home about one of their products before posting a
review). However this product is not one of those products. I bought
this simply because I was at the store and out of dish detergent. This
was the first phosphate free dish detergent I had ever purchased. It
was also dirt cheap. And by dirt cheap, I mean store brand cheap.
How Does it Work?
Extremely
well. I get no streaks on my glasses. As long as you rinse any dishes
with heavy sauces on them they will come out sparkling. Leave some
barbecue sauce on their to dry and...eh... you get the idea. To be
fair, basic Cascade can't handle that kind of mess either and it will
streak your glasses. (No Jet Dry used in these tests!)
Effectiveness: 
How Green is It?
It is chock
full of man made chemicals (There is also some salt, and oxygen bleach
in there too). Thankfully, none of these are environmentally
unfriendly. In its powdered form it contains asthma and eye irritants
(several chemicals and orange oil) and is slightly toxic. Once mixed
with water in the dishwasher this is no longer an issue because the
chemicals bind with water in a way that is not harmful to waterways or
wildlife. Also it comes in a recyclable cardboard box (check your local
laws).
Greenness: 
How Cost Effective is It?
Very. As mentioned before, this is as cheap as your normal powdered dish detergent. Buy in the larger box and save even more.
Cost: 
Overall Score:
This is not a natural product. However it is a phosphate free, dye free alternative to your normal brand and CHEAP. A good stepping stone for those who want to be more environmentally conscious but aren't ready to take the full plunge yet.
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posted Jun 21, 2008 5:53 PM by Michael McNabb
[
updated Jul 15, 2008 7:19 PM
]
Simple Green wrote the book on non-toxic cleaners. This product has
been made the same way since 1979. The inventor witnessed a tragedy and
decided to do something about it. I was first introduced to Simple
Green while working as a mechanic. We used it to degrease engines. It
is the official cleaner of CART racing.
How Does it Work?
Simple
Green is awesome as long as you follow the directions. This bottle is
extremely CONCENTRATED. Use it undiluted and you're lungs will be
burning for days. They have multiple strength recommendations for
different cleaning jobs. I normally mix it at 50% for household
cleaning but that is a little strong. This will clean up the toughest
messes. If you have a really tough mess spray a little on it and come
back in 5 minutes. Chances are you'll be able to wipe it clean. Word of
warning, it does not disinfect, so don't use it for cleaning up
counters where raw meat has been sitting.
Effectiveness: 
How Green is It?Simple
Green is not composed of natural ingredients but is biodegradable and
recognized as non-toxic, non-mutagenic, not a neurotoxin,
non-sensitizing, and not a reproductive toxin. The company was kind enough to send me an ingredient list so that I could analyze it for you. Recent studies (and by recent I mean ones that came out two weeks ago) have suggested that
the glycol ethers contained in Simple Green may cause sperm mobility
problems in males in larger doses (for example, men who paint for a
living). However these are new studies and there is more research to be
done. Also, Simple Green contains less than 5% glycol ethers so this
really should not be an issue. SPECIAL
NOTE: SIMPLE GREEN WILL SOON BE RELEASING A LINE OF NATURALLY DERIVED
PRODUCTS, AS SOON AS THESE ARE AVAILABLE I WILL REVIEW THEM FOR YOUGREENNESS:  How Cost Effective is It?
Simple
Green is available at most grocery and hardware stores making travel
expenses a virtual non-issue. Depending on store and sales you can buy
a spray bottle for anywhere from $3-5 dollars. Since this is a
concentrate that equals a lot of cleaning solution, making it a bargain. Cost: Overall Score:If you
are new to this whole green thing are just looking for a way to reduce
your environmental impact, or if you just want a cleaner that won't
kill your little one if they happen to ingest some by accident (God
forbid) then Simple Green is a good choice. Its powerful, cheap, and a
healthier choice for you and your family than a Lysol product or the
like. If you are looking for a naturally derived cleaner then I suggest
you try something like Mrs. Meyers surface cleaner instead (at least
until their new line rolls out).
Image used from Simple Green's website |
posted Jun 20, 2008 6:04 PM by Michael McNabb
[
updated Jul 15, 2008 7:19 PM
]
While shopping to replace a horrible smelling foaming soap, I picked this soap up at Target.
How Does it Work?
Pretty
good. Not as good as some Bath and Body works soaps, but if you wash
your hands the recommended 30 seconds you're in good shape. Most people
don't wash that long, but you are supposed to. Is not anti-bacterial,
but a common hand soap shouldn't be anyway. Softsoap and other anti-bacterial soaps leave a layer of tryclosan on your skin, since it takes about 10 minutes
for that kind of stuff to work. So you wash your hands for dinner to prevent dirt and instead end up eating a toxic chemical. In the end anti-bacterial soaps do little more for our immediate health than a standard soap, while helping to kill off bacteria in the environment and waterways which are a necessary part of the ecosystem. This also contributes to the creation of so called "Superbugs."
Effectiveness: 
How Green is it?
Coconut
based surfactants make this soap about as green as possible. All those
big words in the ingrediant lists are basically non-toxic chemicals
used to make it look and smell pretty. It does contain
methylisothiazolinone which MAY cause nerve damage, but this has yet to
be established and the amount is in such a low concentration its effect
is probably nill (and to be fair, this is pretty much in all shampoos
and cosmetics). Anyway, its a heck of a lot less toxic than tryclosan.
Greenness: 
How Cost Effective is it?
About
as cheap as you can get. Same price as most soaps in the store.
Available at many supermarkets, though best price seems to be at
Target. Refills also available.
Cost:
Overall Score:
This soap is a real winner! Cheap, effective, easy to get, and with a pleasant scent too! Pick it up today!
Image taken from Method's website
Method Website
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posted Jun 20, 2008 5:52 PM by Michael McNabb
[
updated Jul 15, 2008 7:19 PM
]
 I first found Mrs.Meyers Clean Day Scrub at Whole Foods and decided to
try it on a whim. It was a little pricey (about $5), however I was dealing with a wrist injury at the time and my wife was doing most of
the cleaning. She hated the bleach smell of Comet and loved the
geranium scent this product had.
How Does it Work?
This
is actually the best cleanser we have ever used (even better than Bar
Keepers Friend). It gets the job done quick and easy without the harsh
chemical scent. It also doesn't scratch our porcelain tub like some
cleansers we have used. Its use of essential oils makes your whole
bathroom smell like geraniums. (It is also available in other scents,
check their website for a full listing).
Effectiveness: 
How Green is it?
Oxygen
bleach has been substituted for chlorine bleach, making this product
much safer to use and better for waterways. Plant derived surfactants
are substituted for petroleum based ones. Essential oils are used for
the scent, so no phthalates or VOCs to harm your family or the
atmosphere. Calcium carbonate is the main medium for the scrub which is
both non-toxic (except for in extremely large doses) and earth friendlyGreenness: How Cost Effective is it?
It's
not. At $5 for a small container compared to $1 for a large container
of Comet, its a hard sell. Even its effectiveness doesn't justify the
cost. Until recently you had to often drive long distances to find it
too (meaning more money for gas), but recently Target has begun
carrying it in the Lemon Verbena scent. If you like this product then
my advice is to CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR SALES. They often have seasonal
scents which they will clear out dirt cheap at the end of the season. Spring cleaning kits are available on their website, they are cheap, however they are half size.
Cost: Overall Score:Awesome
product. If they can find someway to make it cheaper it would have
three stars. I suspect the high cost is from this being a small
business. If anyone has any info on this please e-mail me.
Image from Mrs. Meyer's website. Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Website
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