Green and clean options for phosphate ban

The growing hype regarding the phosphate ban in Spokane, and the national precedence it is setting has caused much talk about dish detergents. For some this means crossing the state border to smuggle in the “cleaner” yet not “greener” versions of dish soaps. But for others, embracing the ban means joining the cause of going green and cleaning up our rivers. After the consumer report came out in August testing 18 different dish detergents without phosphates, some say not all ground was covered. Trader Joe’s powder that had formerly been ranked very highly was left out of the study completely. Additionally, Biokleen (an eco-friendly household cleaning brand) has some highly effective and green dish products that were not examined in the study. Biokleen Automatic Dishwashing Powder became a certified product at GreenCupboards last year. After viewing a broad selection of “green” dishwashing detergents, GreenCupboards’ independent testing panel and green chemist concluded that Biokleen’s Automatic Dishwashing Powder was the most effective, truly green, phosphate-free dishwashing alternative. Biokleen Automatic Dishwashing Powder is inexpensive and is three times more concentrated so you use less product, and it does not waste the energy necessary to ship bulky packaging and products. The Automatic Dishwashing Powder is also safe for regular or high efficiency dishwashers. The purpose of this is not to send you out to purchase Biokleen. Our greater desire is for you to simply consider your purchases and the impact they are making on the environment. There are a number of other detergents out there that maintain the cleaning effectiveness of their chemical counterparts. Spokane is taking a step toward going green via the phosphate ban, and prohibiting merchants from selling detergents with phosphates. While there is dissent on this topic among the general population, and especially among the demographics affected the most, there are other options to go green and stay clean. If your family cannot commit to completely greening up your house through renewable energy sources, hybrid cars, and all organic produce, that is understandable. But with an entire city banning phosphates (affecting only one product that we use in the kitchen), it can make a large impact on the environment and the animals that inhabit our water systems. There are phosphate-free detergents that clean the grime off too. Do not throw in the towel simply based on one consumer report that surveyed only a handful of phosphate-free brands, consider other brands that you have not yet tried that may be even more eco-friendly and effective.