Sustainable Washing Habits - Part 1
We know that shopping less and buying goods is vital for a more sustainable life. But we tend to ignore the damage that what we already have can do to the environment.
Let's talk a little about improving our washing habits.
Nowadays, the whole system focuses on consuming more and quantity rather than quality; From time to time, we may feel like we cannot fix some things "alone". Very normal; But there are things we can do individually to extend the life of our clothes, save energy, save water, and protect aquatic life, and most of these include what we wear.
The life cycle of our clothes is affected by washing and drying by 75-80%. Heating the wash water and running the drying cycle requires a lot of energy. Therefore, simply "greening" laundry habits will green our future by reducing our personal energy consumption and water use.
While the World Health Organization states that approximately 22 liters of water per day is enough to meet people's basic usage and cleaning needs; This rate goes up to 190 liters in Turkey. If we do not take effective steps, it is predicted that we will be among the water poor countries by 2030.*
What can we do individually?
Wear it more than once!
No, we're not talking about your socks! Before sending the clothes to the dirty basket; wearing more than one is the first step to improving laundry habits. UN Environment Programme 's report; He says that we can consume up to 5 times less energy by wearing jeans at least 3 times and washing them in cold water and not exposing them to dryers and irons.
Choose environmentally friendly detergents!
Conventional detergents may contain ingredients that are not good for aquatic ecosystems, resulting in contaminated water being washed away. Phosphates in conventional laundry soaps negatively affect the ecosystem and marine life.
When choosing environmentally friendly detergents; You can look for products that do not contain phosphate and are prepared from plant and vegetable-based ingredients instead of petroleum. These mean they are healthier for the planet.
A cup of vinegar can be used during the rinse cycle instead of fabric softeners. Vinegar; By naturally balancing the pH of the soap, it makes clothes softer and removes chemical residues.
Turn to concentrated detergents!
Concentrated detergents have less packaging and a smaller carbon footprint. It does more work with less water. Reduces electricity and water consumption. It is economical. Most major companies now only sell this type of detergent, it may soon be the only option we have to buy.
Choosing the appropriate detergent for the machine is important here. Otherwise, inappropriate formulations will create foam and damage the machine.
Make your own laundry detergent!
You can create your own detergent with a handful of ingredients available at most grocery stores. You don't need to be a chemist for this. You can determine the mix yourself according to what you care about in its content or want to exclude.
In the second part of this series, we will continue to discuss and improve our sustainable washing habits.
What we will talk about at the table; There are alternative washing methods, energy savings, the effects of drying and ironing, and more.
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