Doing your washing is dull, there’s no two ways about it. In our household it gets put off and put off till there’s nothing left but a pair of holey socks. But when wash day does finally come round I know there is a little something I can do for wildlife. The fact is that we can do more for nature in our every day actions than we can achieve in a handful of one-off grand gestures (those these have their place too). Releasing an animal back into the wild maybe breathtaking, wonderful and worthy, but it lacks value if the habitat it’s returned to is ruined by our daily waste and pollution.
I’ve been using environmentally friendly detergents for many years now and feel no need to go back to the mainstream brands. These eco-detergents avoid those harsh chemicals which damage the natural environment or upset its balance. A classic example of this is the phosphates used by conventional soaps. Not effectively removed through the water treatment process, they are released into streams and rivers. Accumulating in areas of still water, such as lakes, they encourage the growth of algae. These algae block out the light and cause aquatic plants to die. In time the oxygen levels fall and aquatic species, like fish, suffocate. The ecosystem is destroyed, a process know as eutrophication (see I do remember some of my GCSE geography).
Environmentally friendly detergents avoid issues like this by using ingredients which biodegrade and therefore don’t accumulate in the natural environment. They also try to avoid the worst culprits and aim to buy materials from renewable sources. Ecover and Method are two of the best known brands, but many more are available. Ecover even goes so far as to use plastic recovered from the sea to create their packaging. Personally I’ve used Method for several years as I prefer liquid detergents to powdered forms. The other great thing is that refills are readily available, with a nozzle fitted bottle making it easy to measure out exact amounts to avoid waste.
Beyond detergents the other easy wildlife win in laundry is to lower the temperature of the washing. Most detergents now boast at being able to clean dirty laundry at 40 or even 30 degrees, yet many people still feel hotter washes are better. The fact is that whilst some stubborn stains may struggle to shift at lower temperatures most will just as easily be washed away at 40 as at 60. Hotter washes can also cause clothing to deteriorate quicker, and increase the amount of energy used per wash, adding cost both economically and environmentally. Studies have shown that a reduction of only 3° in the average wash temperature of the people in Europe would be equivalent to removing the emissions produced by more than 127,000 cars.
So wash clean and wash cold (or at least not boiling hot) but there’s another way to benefit the environment when washing. Plastics in ocean have been in the news a great deal. But something many people don’t know is that much of our clothing is in fact made of plastics, nylons, polyester and elastane being some of the most common examples. When washed these clothes shed micro fibres, which are then washed away in our waste water and can end up floating about our oceans. Almost invisible to the naked eye, they are mistaken as food by tiny oceanic creatures, who are then eaten by larger and larger creatures, the plastic accumulating inside them, causing illness or death. Simple ways to reduce this shedding are the wash on lower temperatures, avoid powdered soaps (which shrub the clothing causing them to break up more) and ensure washing machines are fully loaded, causing clothing to move less. However I recently purchased an item which guarantees micro plastics from washing to decrease by 90%. The Guppyfriend is a simple mesh bag which is designed to capture microfibers. Simply put plastic based clothing into the bag, until it is about half full, zipped closed and place in the machine. The rest of the machine can then be filled as usual with clothing made of natural fibres such as cotton, bamboo or wool. Add detergents and wash as normal. Once the wash is done all can be removed. Within the lining of the bag you will slowly begin to see a build up a lint, these are the plastic fibres you’ve captured. Scoop out and place in the bin. Simple. The only issues I’ve found, and the bag does warn of them, is clothing encrusted with mud won’t be well cleaned. However you can often pick the worst bits off and stick it through. I have a very muddy lifestyle and this has only been a problem once or twice. Of course it is more effort at first, having to check labels, but after a while you get familiar with what’s what. For example bed sheets, towels and t-shirts tend to be cotton, whereas sports clothes are always plastic based. Anything that is shiny or stretchy contains plastic whereas tough old jeans tend to be cotton. In the long run I think the effort is worth it for the oceanic benefits. Another item recent came to market which performs a similar purpose, the Coraball. I’ve not trialed it yet so I can’t give a verdict but if the Guppyfriend doesn’t appeal this may be worth looking up.
Then of course there’s the final laundry day wildlife act; hanging the washing on the line. Currently we don’t actually have a machine, so its not exactly a choice, but even if we get one I’ll try to keep it’s use down to a minimum. Afterall clothing hung on the line smells better and gets less wear from being tumbled around and around. It’s also another energy-saving option, saving the environment from a little more consumption.
So yes laundry for wildlife is no more exciting than any other laundry day, but turtles are exciting and whales are exciting so guess that will have to suffice.
A year of firsts 