Photo: Refill process from the Refill Shop, Ann Arbor. Photo credit: Emily Thompson
Sustainability is the act of allocating resource use in the present in a way that allows future generations access to the same levels of resource use. Some ways you can improve how sustainably you are living are by using products made in a sustainable manner, reducing waste, and extending the lifespan of things you already own. Making your own cleaning products is a great way to reduce waste and improve the products you are putting out into the environment.
You can reduce your household waste by visiting a refill shop when purchasing cleaning products rather than buying a new bottle of product every time. When visiting these shops, you can reuse containers you already have (or buy reusable containers) by filling them with products available in bulk, which you then pay for by weight. Oftentimes, these products are cheaper than store-bought products would be, are more conscientious about the ingredients used to make them, and are more concentrated than store-bought products. There are many refill shops across the country as well as bulk shops to buy groceries and other products without unnecessary packaging (you can find refill shops near you here).
Liquid laundry detergent is quite easy to make, and the ingredients required are generally available at low prices. While many recipes for liquid laundry detergent call for borax and pure Fels-Naptha soap bars, these ingredients are toxic to humans and to other organisms if they enter the environment in large quantities. These recipes can be improved by replacing borax with baking soda and replacing Fels-Naptha soap with Castile Soap (such as Dr. Bronner’s). These ingredients break down into naturally-occurring substances and are much safer to release into the environment in effluent. There are also many recipes available to make powder laundry detergent; however, these recipes assume soap flakes will be dissolved in the water produced by the user’s washing machine and do not instruct them to dissolve the ingredients in hot water before use. However, it is not guaranteed that the washing cycle water will reach high enough temperatures to melt the soap, nor are these recipes cold water wash safe*. Incomplete melting of the soap can lead to build up within the washer over time, which can reduce its lifespan.
Another way to reduce excessive resource use and waste in your household is by adding wool dryer balls to your laundry loads. While they take a little longer to make than liquid laundry soap, they are very easy to make nonetheless (the recipe for liquid laundry detergent and instructions for making these dryer balls can be found here). Dryer balls reduce the time it takes for laundry to dry and can be scented using essential oils. This allows you to reduce energy consumption by running quicker cycles* and waste by adding scents to the dryer balls rather than using single-use dryer sheets. It is best to use 100% wool yarn when making these dryer balls as they will last longer than if they were made with synthetic yarn. This is good news however, because a local yarn spinner likely operates near you*.
- Wash laundry on cold to reduce energy use.
- Hang dry clothes and linens to reduce energy use.
- Buying local is a great way to ensure the products you use are sustainably-sourced.
Tags: Sustainability