Last night we held a “Greener House Cleaning” meeting at the Environmental Change-Makers. I’d read about Green Cleaning Parties through Women’s Voices for the Earth. I contemplated signing up for one of those, but after reviewing their materials I decided I could do better, and reach further, by simply sharing my own experiences.

My journey to Greener House Cleaning began when my son was a baby. As I watched him crawl across carpets we’d previously bug-bombed for the cat’s fleas, and teethe on tables I’d “cleaned” with Endust, I worried about the chemicals he might be ingesting. I knew there had to be a better way. Of I went to the local healthy foods store (appropriately named Mothers) to get “greener” house cleaning bottled sprays and products. But are these really greener?

Last night I began the presentation with a review of What Is Greener. As my “Timeline to Sustainability” diagram (http://legacyla.net/transformation/?p=192) shows, unless we’re making forward progress toward Sustainability, merely switching to Brand Green is simply treading water: we’re still in Outrageously Unsustainable territory.

I proceeded to show how the ostensibly “green” brands of cleaners, from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and similar, still adhere to mainstream “normal” (not normal at all) patterns with regards to packaging, transportation, substantial portions of their ingredients list, marketing, and corporate growth model. We haven’t really left Outrageously Unsustainable territory.

I offered some of my own notions of what is greener:

Nontoxic: When we consider toxins we think of human health. I invited the audience to think far beyond human health. Consider the health of other critters on the planet, the soil health, water health. Consider the impact on the vast ecosystems of the earth, the systems which support life. Consider use of the product as well as its production.

Waste stream: Here we contemplated disposal of the product. When we rinse it down the drain, it goes to that mythical place called “away.” Where is “away”? We traced the journey of items gone down the drain in Los Angeles: out through Hyperion treatment plant, which filters the solids (which they try to sell to places like Kern County to spread on their fields, although Kern County has recently rejected contract renewals based on the heavy metal content of Los Angeles’ waste solids). What does Hyperion do with the liquids? Some goes down to West Basin, down near Palos Verdes, to be filtered a bit more, then it’s pumped north through El Segundo, the Chevron plant, LAX airport, Loyola Marymount University and Playa Vista via that purple pipe to water ornamental landscapes (at enormous cost in piping and pumping, electricity and greenhouse gas emissions). But most of the liquids are pumped miles out to sea to be dumped in the Pacific Ocean. Thus anything we pour down the drain here in L.A. eventually ends up either in local soils or in the ocean. (Handouts included Heal the Bay bookmarks http://legacyla.net/transformation/?p=97) Basically, there is no such place as “away.”

We also considered packaging. And single-use items such as that mop they advertise on TV where you peel off a layer (and throw it “away”) to reveal another clean layer beneath. “Use it once” is no way to treat our earth’s resources.

Length of the Consumerist Train: We discussed transportation, and how far away the product was made. We talked about how pressure about locally-sourced foods from environmentally-conscious consumers is now driving mainstream stores like Whole Foods and Gelsons to display the origins of fruits and vegetables on their labels. One day perhaps our soaps will be similarly labeled; it’s something to look for as we move into a Relocalized future.

We changed gears and discussed how Greener is very easily available. We just have to learn how to look. I brought out my daughter’s Girl Scout Brownie Handbook which has recipes for truly greener cleaners.

Then we talked about our attitude about cleanliness. I quoted an article I’d read which described the U.S. and Japanese attitude about cleanliness in terms of us having the luxury of a germ phobia, and the affluence to be preoccupied with sterile. I showed how corporate advertising plays on our fears and our guilt, driving us to purchase more and more products, the toxic stew from which is making us sick. I reminded people of the studies which show that children need to be exposed to a certain amount of dirt; without this their immune systems don’t get challenged, thus operate at less than full capacity. We talked about what “sterile” really means: easy to visualize in terms of discussions we’ve had about the rich microorganisms in healthy garden soil (reference: Compost Critters book), “sterile” means stripped of all those life forms. Scientists are now proving the richness of symbiotic microorganisms resident in healthy skin, healthy guts. When we use sterile as the standard, we’ve stepped far beyond “clean” into an Outrageously Unsustainable paradigm.

Thus greener house cleaning must support healthy ecosystems, in the earth, in our buildings, in our bodies.

Then the questions and answers took us to all kinds of places. I’ll present what I can here, in the order of my original outline, even though last night we flowed easily between the categories.

We talked about how “organic” is certainly a guiding standard when you go shopping for food, but how the term didn’t mean that much when you’re shopping for soap. “Organic” on a soap label typically means that a few of the herbs included in the shampoo were grown organically. While this is great for our farm soils, it doesn’t guide you to better soap purchases. We talked about “biodegradable” as perhaps a more useful term, but this too is limited. It merely means that the cleaning product breaks down. The relevant questions are: what does it break down INTO, and HOW LONG does it take to break down? The term we should aspire to in soaps and cleansers is “biocompatible.” I read from an Oasis label that described “beyond biodegradable … they not only break down, they break down into good stuff.” Biocompatible means they become substances which are nourishing for your plants.

We talked about chlorine bleach, how it is in far more of the conventional cleaning materials than you realize (unless you read the labels). It’s in Ajax, it’s in Tide, it’s in Cascade. One resource says about chlorine bleach “in the garden … it may substitute for similar nutrients, blocking normal metabolic processes.” When we refer to the above discussion of Hyperion operations, that means that bleach poured into the drain runs the possibility of “blocking normal metabolic processes” in our oceans, which are the lifeblood of our planet. We talked about dead zones in the oceans from algeal bloom.

Then we talked about the concept of “Save the Big Guns for Last.” For any cleaning job, start with the lower impact materials. If they work, you never have to resort to the Big Guns. If the lower-impact materials don’t work, you can continue up the chain of increasingly potent materials, and things like chlorine bleach should be reserved as the very last resort. For the most part, we will rarely have to go that far.

We talked about learning how to clean. I mentioned the comedy-filled books of Don Aslett, who runs a housecleaning business. His books are available in the library. Although he unfortunately recommends The Big Guns substances almost exclusively, there is something important we environmentalists can learn from Aslett: HOW TO CLEAN. I described his methodical patterns of cleaning a floor, and his use of doormats and floormats through high traffic areas to knock the dirt off shoes before it goes into the house. Simple ideas, which we can use so that the low-impact cleaners are that much more powerful in getting the cleaning job done. I failed to mention how Aslett’s methods save you a lot of time and sweat!

I see from my notes I also failed to mention the Department of Sanitation’s reminder: don’t use your toilet as a trash can. Extra medications and household chemicals should be delivered to a S.A.F.E. hazardous materials pickup location (http://www.lacity.org/san/solid_resources/special/hhw/safe_centers/index.htm), rather than being dumped down the drain. You can also bring e-waste (computers, microwaves, etc), paint, fluorescent lightbulbs, and garden chemicals here. Remember, things you put down the drain don’t go to that mythical “away” - everything you put down the drain ends up in our local soils and our ocean.

We talked about greener recommendations for specific cleaning tasks:

General cleaning: In lieu of Fantastic, 409, use vinegar and water mixed in a pump spray bottle. Always label your bottles for safety so that others know what is in them. The Girl Scout Brownie Handbook says 1/2 cup white vinegar to 4 cups of water. I use a reuseable microfiber cloth.

When we talk about greener, more Sustainable cleaning, vinegar is a very earth-friendly solution. Vinegar is easily made, widely available from natural local sources (one vendor sells it at our Westchester’s farmers’ market, 130 mile vinegar), a very realistic solution in a relocalized future.

Dusting: Realize that products like Endust serve to moisten your cleaning cloths so dust sticks, and perfume your air. moistening your cleaning cloth with the above vinegar mix, or with plain water, will accomplish the task just fine. We talked about how we’ve become accustomed to a place “smelling freshly cleaned” which really means we can smell the chemicals. We need to get used to the real smell of clean: fresh air, lack of scent.

Flooring: We examined the siamese-twin relationship between the power vacuum cleaner and wall-to-wall carpeting. We talked about how manual carpet sweepers really can handle only part of the job. Before the energy-intensive age of oil, people didn’t have wall-to-wall carpeting, they had floor rugs they could carry outside and beat. We talked about when we remodel we should consider that our future will inevitably mean power-down, and how a power-down future will probably mean we’ll have difficulty cleaning wall-to-wall carpeting. Thus as we move into the future, as your wall-to-wall carpet comes up for ordinary replacement, to green your house consider different flooring material.

I demonstrated a microfiber mop I use with the aforementioned vinegar mix on my flooring (currently vinyl). My sister uses the same on her wood flooring. I shared how we discovered a new sense of clean, that you could feel it with your bare feet, that didn’t have chemical waxes or slime, and the only smell was the fresh scent of vinegar (which quickly dissipates).

Kitchen / dishes: I described how Girl Scout Troop 245 had set up a washing station with buckets to wash the reuseable dishes at our Community Garden opening party, how reuseable is the direction of the future (see “Dispense with Disposables” http://legacyla.net/transformation/?p=112). We talked about the repeated transportation chain (with fossil fuels consumption, greenhouse gas emissions) that is incurred with “use it once” items, and we discussed how even 100% postconsumer fiber paper towels are still incurring that repeated transportation chain. A reuseable rag is a far greener material.

We discussed phosphates vs. phosphate-free, an issue which arises in terms of automatic dishwaster detergent. Phosphates are one of the substances which are extremely harmful to our waterways and oceans. I shared how long term use of the Trader Joe’s phosphate-free detergent has left redeposit on my dishes and is destroying my dishwasher. How this presents us with a hard choice: being a conscientious earth citizen in many cases is going to mean doing a bit of hard work, like handwashing our dishes.

I mentioned how using basins of water to handwash dishes uses less water than leaving the faucet running. Water Saving Tips are here (http://www.watersavingtips.org/saving.html ) I neglected to describe the Girl Scout system which my daughter and I modified during cleanup from her last event. First, we scraped the plates into the bowl headed for the compost pile. The first basin was the soapy water “wash,” the second basin was “rinse.” The Girl Scouts use a final basin with bleach added, obviously because in camping situations they may be dealing with suspect water supplies. Here at home, we omitted that one, and went straight to “dry.”

Kleenex: Kleenex facial tissue is made from clear cut old growth forests, and Kimberly-Clark has refused to heed Greenpeace petitions to change this. Kimberly-Clark declares that only the old growth forests will yield the long fibers which make the tissues soft. Read about it here http://www.kleercut.net/en/theproblem and choose reuseable. I showed off my unbleached organic cotton handkerchiefs. Recognize the declaration that handkerchiefs are “unsanitary” for what it is: an affluent and Outrageously Unsustailable preoccupation with sterile.

Toilet paper: Why would you use virgin trees for such a purpose? TP made from 100% post-consumer fiber is widely available. Find it at Trader Joe’s, Gelsons, Ralphs, Whole Foods, perhaps even Vons.

Menstrual products: I didn’t bring this one up in a mixed audience, but GladRags and other companies make reuseable soft organic cotton pads. No disposables!

Laundry: We had a brief discussion of my new biocompatable Oasis brand laundry soap, and using hydrogen peroxide as a whitener (or to eliminate sourness in towels) in lieu of bleach. Even if your house is not yet plumbed for greywater, vote with your buying dollars to keep companies in business that make the right kind of cleaning materials for our inevitable future. On the display table I had the new book of Brad Lancaster which includes tables about greywater soaps. More on his website here and in this City of Tuscon pamphlet. Get in the habit of reading ingredients lists and get wiser about what you’re really pouring into our soils and ocean.

I demonstrated my “solar powered, wind-powered clothes dryer” and we had a good laugh about people seeking such a thing on the internet. I mentioned my calculation that a year’s worth of line drying our family clothes had saved the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent of taking one car off the road for a half year. Someone asked what to do about air dried towels feeling “crispy,” and the group realized that this was part of us shifting to a new set of ideas. We’ve become acclimated to a weird notion that towels “should” be waxy and limp. Time to get back to normal.
Trash: First, take into account all the “reduce” tips under other sections. We talked about having multiple trash cans in each household location– recycle plus garbage — to increase awareness and increase the likelihood that people will actually sort their trash. Make it easy, where they don’t have to take extra steps, simply make a choice. Clearly label those containers. In our kitchen we have multiple containers, including compost and plastic bag recycling.

Lastly we discussed changing our attitude about trash. Composting is an example of changing our view of things from “waste” into rich “bounty” and resource.

Outdoors: We briefly mentioned using a broom rather than a leaf blower (fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, plus noise and particulate pollution). Also, that it is now illegal to hose down sidewalks in Los Angeles. Under drought conditions, LADWP could cite you.

Pests: Lots of enthusiasm and questions in this area. For ANTS, I described how the first ant lays down a trail for the others. Thus, you need to eliminate that trail. I rinse the area well with the vinegar & water mix. Then cinnamon oil (cheap brand from the healthy food store) can be laid down to create a “fence” that the ants will not cross. I put it on my finger and smear it onto doorframes. Be careful, it might stain certain surfaces. If the “fence” gets breached, wash the entire area and start again. SPIDERS - If they don’t have a red hourglass, spiders are our friends. Scoop them up with a piece of paper and move them to where you want them. They’ll keep ants from coming in a window, flies out of a sunny niche, etc. FLEAS in carpets - sprinkle Borax (found in conventional grocery stores in laundry aisle) on the carpet. Although borax is a naturally occurring substance, you should get infants and pets out of the rooms first. Brush the Borax into the carpet and let it set- perhaps do it before you leave the house for the day. Vacuum it up after a few hours. If you simultaneously treat your pet, you should have little ongoing problem. COCKROACHES - I was told at the Moorpark zoo that crushing a cockroach releases a pheremone that tells other cockroaches to breed more. Fight them with absolute cleanliness. They’re looking for water, food, and grease. list of nontoxic cockroach remedies is here http://www.thebestcontrol.com/bugstop/control_cockroaches.htm GARDEN PESTS -We’ll hold a garden pests session at the Community Garden on Sept 27 details here http://holynativityparish.org/wordpress/

At one point during the evening, I shared a diagram from our book which goes into further detail than the Timeline to Sustainability, describing what I see as society’s journey as we embark on the Transition Era. You may view it here (http://envirochangemakers.org/images/TransitionEra.jpg)

I’m sure you’ll find these greener house cleaning resources a bit different from a typical environmental talk. But as we head into the Transition Era, into a low-carbon, power-down, relocalized future which is conscious of earth cycles … as we make the cultural shifts necessary toward becoming a life-sustaining civilization, we’re going have to learn to think differently. We’ll find that remaining within our old “normal” lifestyle patterns of go-to-store-and-reach-for-brightly-labeled-pump-spray-bottle don’t work to get us to where we need to go.