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Energy Assessment: solar powered garden lights and washing powder

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorludite
    • CommentTimeJun 3rd 2008
     
    Just a couple of queries.

    Environmentally speaking, which is best; stores own bran NON bio washing powder or a 'proper' eco brand like ECOVER? or should it be washing balls all the way?

    With all the 'rainwater harvesting' reduced flush toilets etc, what happens to the drains and the concentration of effluent with less rainwater passing through them?

    Solar powered garden lights. When I was cleaning mine the other day I realised they have batteries in them. Are these things eco friendly or are they just a product PRETENDING to be green. If I took them apart, could I use the pv cells for anything else - that is, If I was technologically minded?

    Welcome any opinions on this or any other stuff you might have wondered about yourselves.
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeJun 3rd 2008 edited
     
    Posted By: ludite Solar powered garden lights. When I was cleaning mine the other day I realised they have batteries in them. Are these things eco friendly or are they just a product PRETENDING to be green. .


    Do they even pretend? I thought the idea was to avoid having to install wires. I guess it depends how long they last. Some cheap batteries are only good for 2000 cycles so may not last long enough to produce more energy than it took to make them. We were given some that are so dim as to be next to worthless.

    If I took them apart, could I use the pv cells for anything else - that is, If I was technologically minded?


    I guess they might put out enough power to charge a analogue portable radio or similar (if you keep the volume down).
  3.  
    For years i used Ecover wash powder- used to buy 10k sks from Suma, then when they was floated on the stock mkt and Group 4 (they who evicted road protesters etc) bought 50% or there abouts of the shares Ecover became a no buy for many enviromentalists. In the meantime, i switched to a brand called 'Faith in Nature' - Clearspring laundry liquid which i buy from Suma in 5L containers (they also make other washy, shampooey, soap etc) The Clearspring Laundry liquid is now my permanent buy, it smells lovely, has rosemary oil in and sometimes i add lavender oil to it. The washing smells divine!

    I dont think Group 4 own any of Ecovers shares anymore, does anyone know what happened? I dont want to put anyone off buying their products because they good company with good ideals and what they started was spot on.

    I find that clothes that washed in the conventional laundry products have a strange unpleasant odour, not nice.
    • CommentAuthorstephendv
    • CommentTimeJun 4th 2008
     
    Have you tried soap nuts? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapindus
    •  
      CommentAuthorted
    • CommentTimeJun 4th 2008
     
    The situation was that one person, Jorgen Philip-Sorensen, owned 100% of Ecover and a large chunk of Group4. He was also the Chairman of both companies but resigned from Group4. He still retains the shares.
  6.  
    Ted, thanks for that, it has put me off Ecover again, I did try their citrus cleaner that was brill but now discontinued.

    I forgot to say, i use the soapnuts mentioned above but only on stuff that isnt very mucky!
    • CommentAuthorludite
    • CommentTimeJun 4th 2008
     
    soap nuts????? never heard of them. any good? I take it from thrifyorkshirelass, that they might not be all they are cracked up to be.
  8.  
    I've tried the soap nuts and I don't rate them. Can never see any bubbles in the machine so they must be more nut than soap. Tried turning them into hand soap and it stinks. I'm for Ecover and I don't have a problem with Group 4, they were just doing their jobs. Its the people that hired them we should be out to get, i.e. the Government.
    • CommentAuthorstephendv
    • CommentTimeJun 4th 2008
     
    We use the soap nuts with a bit of essential oil to add fragrance - my wife is quite happy with them so far (she's more critical about these sorts of things)
    •  
      CommentAuthorecoworrier
    • CommentTimeJun 4th 2008
     
    Balls all the way.:smile:
  11.  
    one good thing you can use the solar lights for is as a solar battery charger,
    forget the silly LED lights there about as useful as a chocolate teapot

    I wash my work clothes with ecoballs and it make them smell of nothing , which is a nice change ,
    cleans the dirt out , but doesn't get rid of those stubborn stain such as mastic and expanding foam ,
    what will they say at tea break!
    • CommentAuthorludite
    • CommentTimeJun 5th 2008
     
    so does anyone know the difference between a non bio washing powder and an eco washing powder?
  13.  
    Yes, for starters who makes the non bio, i avoid anything by Lever bros and Proctor & Gamble, animal testing, exploitation, pollution - i could go on, but i need to go plant things out in the garden. You need to find afew back issues of The Ethical Consumer if you into the more ethical greener way.
    • CommentAuthorludite
    • CommentTimeJun 6th 2008
     
    Fair enough, the people who make the stuff might be at issue here, but I was originally wondering about the effect that using the products has on the environment. In this case, is there a difference between an eco washing powder and a stores own brand (cheaper) NON biological powder?
  15.  
    I think you need to do abit of research. I've no idea what ingreds are in stores cheaper brand NON bio powder, i am of the ilk of not wanting to support supermkts so give their stuff a wide birth. They may be very enviromentally friendly or not. Let me know what you discover.
    • CommentAuthorludite
    • CommentTimeSep 25th 2009
     
    rather than start a whole new thread - i thought i would resurrect this old one. . . .

    I read in the 'sainsbury's' in house magazine that ALL washing up water can be tipped on gardens because ALL washing up liquid HAS to be biodegradable BY LAW . . . . . .which means. . . . why r we spending more on buying products like ecover, if they ALL (including stuff like 'Fairy') biodegrade?????

    I NEED ANSWERS!!!!!
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2009 edited
     
    Partial answer...
    http://www.detergents.gov.uk/detergents.asp?id=1647

    Quote: The objective of Regulation 648/2004 is to establish rules designed to achieve the free movement of detergents and surfactants for detergents on the internal market while, at the same time, ensuring a high degree of protection of the environment and public health. It harmonises rules on the biodegradability of surfactants in detergents, imposes restrictions or bans on surfactants on grounds of biodegradability.

    snip

    Under Regulation 648/2004, detergent is defined as "any substance or preparation containing soaps and/or other surfactants intended for washing and cleaning processes. Detergents may be in any form (liquid, powder, paste, bar, cake, moulded piece, shape, etc.) and marketed for or used in household, or institutional or industrial purposes.

    http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/detergents.asp?id=1677

    http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20052469.htm

    ..but does that mean all ingredients have to biodegrade or just the surfactants ?
    • CommentAuthorskywalker
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2009
     
    I think I've forgotten why I buy Ecover stuff. I refill the washing liquid bottles at our local health food shop so it feels good. They have now started stocking cheaper stuff for refills so I may switch to that.

    We have used eco balls for years now in our clothes wash (occasional ecover/persil non bio wash for oil/greasy stuff) must have saved us an absolute fortune & creates a tiny contribution of chemicals to the water sytem. I intend to alter the plumbing on the washing machine to collect the water for the garden as there is nothing but dirt in it usually.

    As a kid I remember my mum using soapy washing up liquid water on the greenfly & I imagine in large quantities it would have an adverse effect on soil fauna. Not sure I could get worked up about the effects of bowl of washing up water!

    S.

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