Sparkling lake or sparkling dishes
 

David Casaletto

I am currently writing this article at home, so I decided I should query my resident expert on dishwashing detergent, my wife Diane. It seems that my work in water quality over the years has at least influenced her actions as she told me our home has been using phosphate free dishwashing detergent for quite awhile (long before the ban last year) but she acknowledged the detrimental effect the change had on our dishes, until lately. It seems the manufacturers were reluctant to invest in a viable phosphate free formula until actually required to do so. That requirement came last year and they produced a product that can clean dishes while still protecting the environment. It just took a little effort (and I am sure a little money, too) on their part.

I am not one to push one product over any other, but I will say my wife after much trial and error has settled on a product called Finish Powerball Tabs. No, this product won't help you win the lottery, but it does seem to produce clean dishes. Consumer Reports tested 24 of the leading low-phosphate dishwasher detergents to see which ones got dishes cleanest. The top finishers were Cascade Complete All in 1 pacs (at a cost of 28 cents per load), Ecover tablets (27 cents), Finish Powerball Tabs tablets (22 cents), and Method Smarty Dish tablets (21 cents), but other brands and formulations also performed adequately if used properly. So I will publically give my wife credit, her own research at home has been proven correct by Consumer Reports.

Now I know this story may be interesting, but I do have a moral. While environmental education is important, to actually achieve the results needed to make an appreciable difference in our water quality and environment, changes must be mandated by our legislative and regulatory bodies. While the dedicated "green" minority may voluntarily change their lifestyle, we will have to require that the manufacturers and the general public do the right thing to really make the difference needed. And as this lesson on dishwashing detergent shows, Americans are innovative. If we mandate changes, a solution can be found that allows us to protect our environment while still maintaining our quality of life.

Quote of the Week

Keeping in touch with childhood memories keeps us believing in life's simplest pleasures like a rainy afternoon, a swingset, and a giant puddle to play in.
 -   Chrissy Ogden

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GardenNews.biz, February 3, 2011

St. Louis, Missouri - February 1, 2011 - The Nature Conservancy in Missouri announced today it has purchased 175 acres in the Missouri Ozarks, including nearly 1.5 miles of land along the Current River - the largest stretch of private frontage remaining in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.

...The Current River is the most biologically significant river in the Midwest, and provides habitat for animals found nowhere else on Earth. A key priority for The Nature Conservancy is sustaining the river system and its associated watershed, protecting critical habitats and species as well as the vibrant economic resources they provide," said Doug Ladd, the Conservancy's director of conservation science. To read more...

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