Green Thursday: Laundry ecology 101

What do you use to do your laundry? A caustic detergent? In a non-recycled, non-biodegradable package? In an old machine that wastes water?

Doing the laundry is the second largest use of water in the home, 22% on average. Bathrooms use the most, 53%.

When we remodeled the LipsYard house in 2000, we went with the Maytag low water-use series washer and matching dryer.

A front-loader uses lots less water, and therefore a lot less detergent. They even make special products for these kinds of washers. And here's where you can take your green-ness a step further.

Choose products that disclose ingredients on product labels, as most environmentally preferable brands do.

When gauging ecological claims, look for specifics. For example,"biodegradable in 3 to 5 days" holds a lot more meaning than simply "biodegradable," as most substances will eventually break down if given enough time and the right ecological conditions. And claims like "no phosphates" or "plant-based" are more meaningful than vague terms like"ecologically-friendly" or "natural." When ingredients are listed, choose products made with plant-based, instead of petroleum-based, ingredients.

To reduce packaging waste, buy the largest size available. Select products in bottles made with at least some recycled plastic or in cardboard boxes made with 100 percent recycled content. And choose concentrated formulas, which require less packaging and fuel for shipping.

Avoid harsh fragrances by choosing detergents and fabric softeners labeled "fragrance free."

In the LipsYard Laundry, we're using Tide he (for high efficiency) unscented in bottles made with 25% recycled plastics.

Here's a link to learn even more, including product purchase suggestions.

Every Green Thursday, LipsYard will deal with an issue vital to our global environment.