Water Wise Choices

When we choose to use simple, inexpensive, safe and effective natural ingredients, we are assured our waste will not damage the water or earth when it is returned to nature. If we continue to ignore the labels of products we buy, many promoting "spic-and-span" households, we contribute to the deterioration of our watersheds. Nonlphenol ethoxylates (NPE) in liquid laundry soap and toilet cleaners are known to cause problems for fish and river otter. The phosphates in detergent can encourage the growth of algae and surfactants, that are in products touted to lift off dirt, are petroleum-based and not easily removed from water, even after treatment.

What to do? Life is busy, so one choice is to resolve to purchase organic dish liquid, hand soap and laundry detergent, available at your local supermarket in the "Green" sections! If you have a bit of time and are up for the adventure, here are some recipes for natural, watershed/earth friendly cleaning products.

All Purpose Cleaner (walls, floors)

Mix 1 cup of white vinegar in a pail of water OR 125 ml pure soap in 4 litres of water
60 ml baking soda in 1 litre of water
60 ml borax in 1 litre of water

Bathtub/sink Cleaner

Scrub with a cloth with hand soap on, sprinkled with a little baking soda. Rinse well.

Drain Cleaner

Pour ½ cup borax in the drain, follow with 2 cups of boiling water.

Toilet Cleaner

Scrub with ½ cup borax in 4 litres of water

Window Cleaner

*Mix 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water, or try 15ml of lemon juice to 1 litre of water; put in a spray bottle. Use a lint free cloth, and any streaks can be removed with newspaper!

Air Freshener

Grow house plants (spider plants are great),
Open a window,
Use baking soda to absorb odors.
Try essential oils, purchased at your local health food store or baking section of the grocery store.
A few drops of lemon, lavender, citrus or peppermint added to home-made cleaners or in a spray bottle with water adds a pleasant touch.

Carpet Cleaners

Sprinkle baking soda generously over stain and let sit overnight. Vacuum up. Good for food spills and pet odors.
Coffee: rub club soda on spot, clean with sponge.
Red wine: cover stain with salt while wet, let dry and vacuum.
Chocolate: mix borax and water into paste, rub into stain.
Grease: cover with cornmeal or cornstarch, let sit, rub in and vacuum.

When the law was passed to limit phosphates in laundry detergent, manufacturers turned to trisodium nitrilotriacetate (NTA). Not only does NTA make it difficult for wastewater treatment plants to remove metals from the water, NTA is listed as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. So, just a reminder that your best choices are commercial "green" products or homemade cleaners. Your worst choices include products with: trisodium nitrilotriacetate, chlorine, sodium hypochlorite, formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, hydrochloric acid, perchloroethylene, and sodium acid sulfate. The health of all species, including humans, is dependant on the health of our environment.

- Marg Evans, Coordinator, Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

About Us • Public Education • Species at Risk • Projects • Other Activities • Membership

Marg Evans

About Us • Public Education • Species at Risk • Projects • Other Activities • Membership