Photo via Flickr: IBRRC

Note: I touch on this briefly in my column for HuffPost about the BP oil disaster, but I wanted to highlight it again here, just in case you skip over this amazing tidbit of brazen irony.

You may have heard about how Proctor & Gamble is graciously donating thousands of bottles of Dawn dishwashing liquid to aid in the cleanup efforts for wildlife affected by the BP oil disaster. The company even touts its own generosity — which includes an additional $1 donation to wildlife rescue efforts per bottle sold — on the Dawn website:

For over 30 years, Dawn has been doing its part to help save wildlife. From donating funds to important conservation projects to giving Dawn dishwashing liquid to clean wildlife affected by oil spills, Dawn knows there are lots of ways to get involved with the cause.

So nice, right? Well, here’s the rub: Dawn dish soap — the very stuff used to “gently” remove oil from the feathers and fur of toxic sludge–coated creatures — is, itself, made from oil.

Dawn, like most conventional dishwashing liquids, contains petro (read: oil) chemical-based detergents, emollients, and fragrance. The website, not surprisingly, doesn’t specifically reveal which ones, but it does provide a link to a wholly generic list of ingredients commonly used in hand dishwashing products.

Since the most this list offers up is terms like “surfactants” and “mildness additives,” I can only be left to assume that the soap could contain toxic petroleum byproducts like alkylbenzene sulfonates and 1,4-dioxane. Of course, these are only educated guesses; there are thousands of industrial chemicals floating around out there, but who knows which ones: Federal law does not require companies to list them on their products, nor conduct any sort of tests to determine if they’re safe.

Want to really help save wildlife from oil spills? Ditch the Dawn for a plant-based dish soap like Seventh Generation. If every household in the US replaced just one bottle, it would save 81,000 barrels of oil a year.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Jurvetson

Earth Day may have reached an all-time publicity high this year, but the public’s outlook on the state of the planet is still pretty grim: According to a CBS News poll, roughly one in two Americans thinks the environment will be in worse shape for the next generation. (Interesting note: That’s roughly the same split between Americans who believe in global warming and those who don’t.)

I’m no Pollyanna. I do think the world is going to be a remarkably different place to live even a few decades from now, and not for the better. But before I go all Debbie Downer on you — especially since you already may be feeling a bit of the post-Earth Day blues — I thought it would be helpful to highlight some encouraging environmental progress that you may not be aware of:

Buh-bye, BPA. With five states restricting toxic chemical bisphenol A and a federal ban currently under consideration, companies are starting to feel the heat: General Mills has announced it will remove BPA from the can linings of its Muir Glen tomato products, while Coca-Cola is facing a shareholder challenge on the issue.

Light bulbs that last. You’ve probably heard about Australia’s incandescent light bulb ban, but did you know that traditional bulbs are being phased out in the United States as well? The lighting market has already shifted in anticipation; compact fluorescents seem to be taking up most of the shelf space in my local Walgreens these days.

Energy Star stepping up. Earlier this week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced its new, more stringent guidelines for homes that earn the Energy Star label (and the accompanying tax credits): The new requirements will make homes at least 20 percent more efficient.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Beth Nazario

Well, it’s official: Maryland has become the fifth state to ban the use of toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in children’s products, including baby bottles and sippy cups. Governor Martin O’Malley signed the bill into law on Tuesday, after the legislation passed unanimously in both chambers of the General Assembly earlier this year.

Aside from being a political victory for eco org Environmental Working Group, whose experts testified before both Maryland Senate and House of Delegates committees in support of this legislation, it’s also a personal one: EWG President Ken Cook is a Maryland resident, and has a 2-year-old son. (I’m sure Mr. Cook is very diligent about buying BPA-free products for his family, but I’ll bet it’s nice to know that his fellow parents will have some peace of mind.)

Other states with BPA bans include Connecticut, Minnesota, Washington state, and Wisconsin. The city of Chicago, as well as three counties in New York state, have also passed restrictions as well.

The Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2009, which would restrict BPA in canned food and other packaging at the federal level, is currently in committee in both the House and Senate.

–Jennifer Grayson

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[Learn about TerraCycle on YouTube]

There’s nothing like shelf placement by a mass market retailer to bring an eco-friendly product from the fringe to the mainstream. When Target started carrying Method cleaning products in 2004, the biodegradable and nontoxic household cleansers stood out like a sore green thumb against the bleach- and chemical-filled landscape; now, every brand name from Clorox to Windex comes in a natural, plant-based version.

Will post-consumer content king TerraCycle’s upcycled products have a similar influence now that they’ve hit the shelves of every Walmart store in the US? If style is being judged alongside substance, then I’m betting that the line — which will be available through April 29 — will be a big hit.

Several standouts:

Cheetos eco-kite. The world’s first standard delta kite made from recycled food wrappers. Other “flavors” available.

Skittles lunch tote. Other accessories bags include backpacks, purses, and camera bags made from everything from M&M bags to Capri Sun drink pouches.

Rold Gold pencil case. Is this pencil case making you thirsty? The perfect eco-friendly school accessory, made from upcycled snack food packaging. 

Candy wrapper notebooks. Loaded with recycled notebook paper and available in a host of bright candy wrapper colors.

To make sure Walmart customers get the whole “trash to treasure” concept, the more than 60 different upcycled beauties will be sold alongside the original items from which they were made. Kind of takes a bit of the guilt out of buying a bag of chips…

–Jennifer Grayson

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For those who missed last week’s post about the gorgeous green school and office supplies now available on the O’Bon website, here’s your second chance: I’m giving away an O’BONanza A5 notebook of your choice to the first three readers who share that original post with their pals on Twitter (just be sure to add @jennigrayson so I can see your Tweet).

Each colorful notebook features a luscious fruit design printed with soy-based inks, as well as 80 sheets of sustainable sugarcane-bagasse paper. Who knew taking notes could be so delicious?

Thanks to the generous folks at O’Bon for this giveaway. And if you’re too late for this one, don’t fret — you can stay abreast of other freebies and specials by following O’Bon on Twitter.

–Jennifer Grayson

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I’ve worked hard to eliminate most plastics from my daily existence. Health concerns are a part of it; we really don’t know the cumulative effects of plastic packaging additives like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. I also can’t reconcile using a material that is made from fossil fuels, or that takes thousands of years to break down in a landfill, or that pollutes Texas-sized swaths of the ocean — even if that material is recyclable. Thus, I’ve swapped plastic grocery bags for canvas totes, Tupperware for Pyrex, and the occasional bottle of water for my trusty Klean Kanteen. And at my next doctor’s appointment when I need blood drawn, I’m going to request glass collection tubes instead of the traditional plastic. (Kidding! There are some instances where plastic is still necessary.)

There is one plastic product, though, that I’ve recently started using, because I think the eco pluses far outweigh the eco negatives, and that’s Debbie Meyer Green Bags. I know they’ve been around for some time, but I never considered using them because: a) they’re made of plastic and b) I generally don’t trust anything sold via infomercial. But the last time I saw my stepmother-in-law, she showed me the still-crunchy two-week-old celery in her fridge courtesy of Green Bags, and I decided to give them a try.

What a difference they’ve made! How much money I’ve saved! I used to have to throw away half of my farmers market purchases. (The run-of-the-mill fridge that came with my apartment seems designed to turn carrots into rubber within hours, even in the “crisper” drawer.) Now, my produce lasts for weeks, and nothing ever gets wasted. I also find that I’m eating more fruits and veggies, since I can buy more and not worry about it all spoiling.

Yeah, Green Bags are plastic, but they are recyclable; you can also reuse each of them up to 10 times. And considering that 40 percent of all food in the United States is thrown out — making food waste one of the largest contributors to climate change (thanks to all that methane once it rots in the landfill) — I consider Green Bags a necessary trade-off.

Debbie Meyer, I don’t know who you are or why your name has to be on the box, but thank you.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Click here for more tips on how to stop wasting food.

Related posts:
The Dasani PlantBottle: Can you feel less guilty about drinking bottled water?
Why aren’t Angelenos using those green bins?

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So when the folks at Activeion Cleaning Solutions were kind enough to send me a brand-new Ionator HOM to try, I really wanted this to be the miraculous breakthrough in chemical-free cleaning that the company avowed it to be. After all, who wouldn’t want a device that ionizes tap water to become a mean, green, degreasing machine, allowing you to sparklingly clean every surface of your home, not to mention kill 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria and the H1N1 virus? So I used it to clean my apartment not once, but twice — waiting a whole week in between cleanings (and for my place to get dirty again) so that I could give the thorough review this kind of cutting-edge technology deserved.

So after all this, how did the Ionator do? Well, let’s just say it had a less than stellar performance. Here’s the lowdown:

Along with the Ionator, I used two other “cleaning” solutions to act as comparisons: my favorite store-bought green cleaner, and a spray bottle that I filled with regular tap water. While the Ionator did an adequate job cleaning surfaces like my kitchen table (lacquer), my bedroom nightstands (wood), and the bathroom sink (tile), here’s the rub: In every instance, the results were identical to that of the spray bottle filled with plain tap water.

What’s more, neither the Ionator nor the control bottle were as effective as the green cleaner at these simple tasks, and mysteriously left behind a trail of lint from my cloth rags with every wipe (something the green cleaner doesn’t do). And when it came to tougher tasks, the Ionator didn’t stand a chance: Mirrors were left a foggy, streaky mess; soap scum didn’t budge from the tile in the shower; and my glass nightstand lamps still felt dirty to the touch once the water had dried.

Of course, third-party lab testing shows that the Ionator, in fact, is a highly effective sanitizer, but you would never know it from the sight of your home after you’ve cleaned with it. I’m sorry to say, but if you want a cheap, chemical-free, highly effective cleaning solution — not to mention one that doesn’t require electricity and isn’t made of questionably recyclable materials — pass on the Ionator and its $169 price tag, and invest in a box of baking soda, a bottle of white vinegar, and some lemons.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Baking soda and vinegar to DIY for your taste? Look for cleaners that are free of ammonia, chlorine, triclosan, petroleum, phosphates, and artificial fragrances.

Related posts:
Product review: Arm & Hammer Essentials
Just add water

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WATCH:

[Watch video on YouTube]

Of course, as with the biodegradable hotel key cards I profiled in January, you can’t just polish off a bag of Harvest Cheddar chips, toss it in the trash, and think you’ve done your part for the planet — these bags have to be placed in a hot compost pile or bin to break down in the estimated 12-16 weeks.

And also like the hotel key cards, these SunChips bags are made from Ingeo, a plant-based plastic manufactured by NatureWorks. While there’s been some controversy as to whether or not plant-based plastics do more harm than good (once you factor in the possibly genetically modified corn used to make these biopolymers — not to mention the pesticides and fertilizers used to grow the corn), NatureWorks has said it remains committed to sustainability, which you can read more about here.

We could debate for days as to whether these biodegradable bags will have a measurable impact on carbon emissions, but I think the greatest boon to the environment won’t be the bag itself; it’ll be the awareness this campaign brings to the general public about composting and why it’s so important. And that, in my opinion, is pretty cool.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Learn how to compost.

Related posts:
The Dasani PlantBottle: Can you feel less guilty about drinking bottled water?
Green Genius: Biodegradable trash bags that REALLY biodegrade

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Lovingly caressed in the dewy leaf of a plant and topped off with a bright green plastic cap, even I was momentarily seduced by the seemingly pristine looking bottle. That’s a bold step for a company as large and mainstream as Coca-Cola, I thought.

Wait a second. This is water I could get from my tap. For free. And it’s served up in a plastic bottle. The PlantBottle may be manufactured from 30 percent sugar cane-based plastic, but this is still a completely unnecessary product. The Dasani website boasts a new section entitled “Eco-Living,” but there is absolutely nothing eco about this.

At best, it’s a small improvement for an incredibly wasteful industry. The plant material supposedly reduces the bottle’s carbon emissions by 25 percent, but consider that the bottled water industry produces more than 2.5 million tons of CO2 a year. And that it takes three liters of water to produce every single liter of Dasani. I suppose you could also argue that using plants for plastic lessens our dependence on foreign oil, but you know what else would lessen our dependence on foreign oil? Not having a bottled water industry.

An advantage of a lot of the new plant-based plastics is that they’re compostable, which helps cut down on pollution (e.g., the Great Pacific Garbage Patch). This Dasani PlantBottle can only be recycled though, since the remaining 70 percent is still made from good old-fashioned petroleum-based plastic. Too bad only about 20 percent of the 34.6 billion single-serving plastic water bottles bought in the US every year actually make it to the recycling plant.

I apologize for the rant, but nothing revs me up more than a massive case of greenwashing. Is it great that green has reached a critical enough mass that Dasani’s customers would even care about a plant-based plastic bottle? Of course. The bottled water industry isn’t going to disappear overnight; isn’t it better that Dasani is using 30 percent less petroleum-based plastic? Sure. But the model wearing a T-shirt on the Dasani website that says “Make Your Plastic Fantastic” is where I draw the line. No wonder she’s hiding her face.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Buy a reusable water bottle. I like Klean Kanteen.

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Greenwashing alert: Baja Fresh
Avoiding bottled water at the airport

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Photo via Flickr: Clean Wal-Mart

Most of you know by now that I’m not really big on buying things just for the sake of buying, even if those things are eco-friendly. There’s an interesting theory out there that the biggest contributor to global warming is not the incandescent bulbs in our homes or the gasoline in our cars — it’s all the stuff we buy.

Even so, I admit that when it comes to Valentine’s Day, part of me says, What a load of consumerist crap; while the other part of me says, Hey, where’s my chocolate? I’m not a total grinch, after all. And I do love chocolate.

But when it comes to the Valentine’s green gift guides floating around out there in the blogosphere, a lot of the stuff makes me cringe. Organic flowers shipped across the country? Panty sets made from recycled pine tree fiber? I hate to see green reduced to little more than a creative marketing tool.

Instead, why not use your own creativity to plan a thoughtful V-Day for your sweetie, without buying something you don’t need (even if it is green)? A few fun ideas:

Breakfast in bed. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no better way to pamper someone than the classic, home-cooked B in B (to my husband: hint, hint!). Some delicious and festive ideas: eggs benedict with red chile hollandaise, heart pancakes, or a french toast casserole.

Romantic picnic. If you live somewhere warm, pack a cooler with tomato and mozzarella sandwiches, a bottle of wine, and a chocolatey dessert. Then, hit your local state park or beach for a picnic. If you’re in a colder climate, pack it all in a basket and spread a blanket on the floor of your living room for an indoor outing. (Nice touch: Download a “nature sounds” track from iTunes to play in the background.)

Movie marathon. Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, so why not whip up a big batch of spicy cinnamon sugar popcorn and crawl back into bed for a rom-com movie marathon? (Or go for an anti-V-Day flick fest; check out the Syfy channel’s scary lineup for this Sunday.) Of course, you can also rent DVDs from your local library, video store, or use Netflix on demand.

Cupid cocktail party. If you’re single or just feel like adding more merriment to the mix, why not invite over a few friends and whip up a big batch of Valentine’s-inspired libations? Cut costs by making it a potluck: Ask each guest to bring a favorite drinking snack.

And the best part about all of these ideas: They’re perfect for all you procrastinators (myself included) who haven’t yet decided what to get your honey for Valentine’s Day!

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Oh, and don’t forget to send Valentine’s e-cards instead of paper cards to your friends and family. Check out the stylish ones at Cocodot.

Related posts:
How to give gifts without giving ’stuff’
Green goods

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