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The simple task of doing laundry creates space for a wide range of very attainable green changes and adaptations. It's a great opportunity to start living a more eco-aware life. Besides, clean clothes are overrated, right? To help you avoid the spin cycle, we got sudsy at Planet Green's "How to Go Green: Laundry."
Top Tips for Greening Your Laundry
Don't Rush: Don't wash what's not really dirty. None other than the United Nations itself reports that you can consume up to five times less energy by wearing your jeans at least three times, washing them in cold water, and skipping the dryer or the iron.
Skip the Phosphates: Despite the billions of dollars spent to convince you otherwise, most commercial detergents are the same and are bad for the environment. For example, phosphates (a common ingredient in laundry soap) can cause algal blooms that negatively effect ecosystems and marine life. Shop green or simply make your own.
A Laundry List of Tips: Wash your laundry in cold water, dry clothes on a clothesline, don't use an iron, try public laundromats for more efficient machines, and so on. Hey, we did say there's a wide range of very attainable green changes involved here, didn't we?
Did You Know?
- 90% of the energy used by a typical washing machine is used to heat the water; only 10% is used to power the motor
- The average increase in energy efficiency for a washing machine between 1981 and 2003 is 88%
- The amount of carbon dioxide emissions saved each year by line-drying your family's laundry is 700 pounds
For more on Laundry Tips check out Planet Green's Guide, How to Go Green: Laundry. For more on Going Green, check out the Planet Green How to Go Green Archives.
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