Dishes

Remember to take care of the water when you're doing housework, too!

We use "Seventh Generation" liquid dish soap for when we wash dishes by hand. It comes in a fragrance-free version or a handful of soft, natural scents. We're currently using the "Lavender Floral and Mint" scented soap. I love the light, fresh scent of the mint in it.

For the dishwasher (which can be just as water-efficient or even more so than washing by hand if you run only full loads and use basic settings), we also currently use Seventh Generation, namely the "Lemon" scented automatic dishwasher gel.

It's important that you choose your next cleaners and soaps to be completely biodegradable. Many cleaning products on the market contain phosphates, which get into surface water and causes imbalances in aquatic plant life-cycles. For a fairly thorough scientific article about phosphates, read this.

We like Seventh Generation brand because it is affordable and really easy to find. Here in Melbourne, FL, you can find Seventh Generation brand soaps and cleaners at any Publix grocery store, as well as Paradise Health and Nutrition (at the intersection of Minton and Palm Bay Road).

The story behind the name of the Seventh Generation brand is really sweet, too. The name comes from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy, part of which states, "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." Most of us can think only as far as grandkids (and that may well be stretching it!), so thinking about the impact of our actions and choices on the next seven generations is a real challenge. However, it is a challenge we should all take upon ourselves on a daily basis.

To learn more about Seventh Generation and score some coupons, check out their website.

We have recently picked up some other phosphate-free cleaners and soaps lately and will let you know how those compare to Seventh Generation.

Image from www.seventhgeneration.com