It can be overwhelming sometimes to think about all the things that are damaging our planet. What can one person do? What difference would it even make? Don’t be discouraged. One person can make a difference, especially when that one person shares their efforts with others and shows them how simple living an environmentally sustainable life can be.
Here is one easy practice to get clean clothes with less waste that you can adopt in your life, and pass along to your friends: eliminate plastic laundry soap containers. Lower your plastic waste output by purchasing laundry soap in non-plastic containers. These jugs are big and made from heavy duty plastics. An estimated seventy percent of them end up in landfills rather than recycling centers. That’s a staggering 700,000 plastic bottles that will never biodegrade. You can purchase cardboard containers, but be mindful of things like plastic handles or scoops that may not be recyclable. You can order more natural products online or look in your area for products that are non-polluting and non toxic. Want to go that extra step? How about making your own laundry soap? A few ingredients are all you need.
- 1 bar of soap
- 1 cup borax
- 1 cup washing soda (sodium carbonate, also called soda ash)
To make powdered laundry soap, grate the bar soap into small flakes, mix well with the borax and washing soda to an even, fine mixture. Store in an airtight container. Use 1 tablespoon for small loads, 2 for large ones.
Liquid Laundry Detergent can be made with the same three ingredients but you will also need a five gallon bucket. You can get this from your local hardware store for a few dollars, and you’ll be reusing it time and time again. Grate the bar of soap into a pot, add two cups of water and heat on low. Mix until the soap flakes and water are combined. Remove from heat and set aside. Blend the borax and washing soda together in the five gallon bucket, then add in the soap and water mixture. Blend quickly and thoroughly. Add enough water to fill the bucket three-quarters full, let it sit overnight before using. Use one half cup of the soap for small loads, one cup for large.
You can also add essential oils to your soap blends for fragrance. Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant and can make a great addition to your homemade laundry detergent recipe. Want to share this with others? Package up a few scoops (in recyclable paper containers, of course) and give them as gifts! Include the recipe so your loved ones can try it for themselves. It’s an easy way to grow one small step into a much larger impact!
Images via archer10 (Dennis) (51M Views), Mocksoup
