You know…. not the type you aired out over too many glasses of wine the night before, but the kind that made you really wish that last glass had landed on your palette, and not your pants?
I may not be speaking for the masses here, but with a nickname like “Spillypants,” I have definitely made my fair share of Dirty Laundry. And since I can’t seem to leave my perpetual clumsiness behind, I may as well try to rid myself of its environmental impact.
And so, two weeks ago, when my boyfriend and I had finished Dirty Laundry’s (what a great name for a vineyard that used to be a brothel) Okanagan Pinot Gris, and had only two things to show for it: a stained pair of jeans and an empty glass bottle, it was time to make use of my self-inflected pun.
I sought out David Suzuki’s Queen of Green’s sustainability advice, and downloaded her nontoxic liquid laundry soap recipe. After reducing the ingredients to 1/6 of the recommended amount, I had made enough to fill up my empty bottle and to do a full load of laundry. I also added a few drops of lavender for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties – I really really do encourage you try it – or one of her many easy cleaning recipes online!
In the face of an issue as serious as climate change, it’s hard to believe that creating your own detergents, converting to cold water washes, or airing your out your laundry (to dry), can amount to anything more than a decreased energy bill. But the truth is, personal responsibility does lead to global change. And even if it doesn’t (it DOES!), wouldn’t you rather put your hard earned dollars towards BC wine, instead of BC Hydro?
