Lifestyle Update: Goods & Services II

Continuing from last week’s blog, this week I’m writing about improving my spending habits and disposable habits, specifically, the money I spend on dry cleaning services. Since I already use biodegradable detergent and dryer sheets and dry about 50-75% of my clothes on a drying rack, I was able to move forward and focus on how I clean my “dry clean only” clothes.  Prior to this blog, I never really knew what happened when I took my clothes to the dryer cleaner, all I knew is that my clothes came back clean, ironed, and a little stiff and scratchy. 

After doing only a few minutes of on-line research, I found that the typical solution used for dry cleaning is toxic, and not something I want to pay to have the clothes rolled around in,  and I don’t want to support a practice that is clearly harmful to the environment.  So, switching from a typical dry cleaner that uses the solution perchloroethylene (perc) to clean my clothes was an easy decision.  Basically, perc in liquid form is composed of chlorocarbon, which is an effective solvent or organic materials, however, perc is a common pollutant found in our water,

“it has been classified by the EPA as a toxic air contaminant, a hazardous, likely carcinogenic substance and one of the top four contaminants found in drinking water. It can enter your body when you inhale its vapors or touch it. Perc can irritate your skin, eyes, nose or throat, and affects your brain much like alcohol does (e.g. dizziness, headache, nausea, loss of balance or coordination, etc.). California has recently banned the use of perc; other states have proposed similar legislation.”http://www.greenearthcleaning.com/flash_earth.aspx

A well accepted alternative to using perc is what’s called “wet cleaning,”which, ironically, is dry cleaning with a water-based solution. Clothes are immersed in a machine that carefully controls the solution to break down stains. There are some downsides to wet cleaning, like it uses a considerable amount of water and it can shrink clothing.  Another alternative is to use liquid carbon dioxide, which is considerably less harmful than perc.  I couldn’t find any downsides to liquid CO2. Unfortunately, both these alternatives require equipment that is very costly for the regular dry cleaning business.

I found a third alternative, petroleum-based silicon, to wash clothes. And, lucky for me, Presto Valet, which is on my way to work and uses silicone. So off I went Thursday morning before work, to drop off one turtleneck, two pairs of pants, and a dress. Inside Presto, other than the giant sign hanging above the transaction counter that reiterated the green cleaning claims on the website, it seemed like a typical cleaner.

Presto’s website claims that it uses methods that are safe for its employees, customers, as well as the environment. It also states that the business is a certified Green Earth Cleaning company, which essentially means that the dry cleaner uses a modified silicone cleaning agent that is a non-toxic, biodegradable solvent that poses no health risks, they pay an annual fee to the organization, and use their patented equipment and cleaning solvents.

I was disappointed to find out that Green Earth doesn’t require their certified dry cleaners to use recycled hangers, biodegradable plastic bags, or energy efficient machinery. Currently, there aren’t any federal, Virginia, or local government standards for green dry cleaning.  If there were more standards and more incentives for dry cleaners to go “green” it would result in higher standards for certification companies like Green Earth and would encourage others to incorporate green practices.   While searching on-line, I found some “green washing” or rather “not-so-green washing” happening at dry cleaners claiming to be environmentally friendly.  When in fact, they only use slightly less toxic solvents to remove stains, which can mislead a customer into spending considerably more money while thinking they’re doing the right thing.  Even though Presto doesn’t go above and beyond Green Earth’s standards, I still felt relieved knowing I chose non-toxic over toxic.

It was a Tuesday morning when I went back to Presto to pick up my garments. I was the only customer at the small shop on Quaker Lane.  A tall, neatly dressed lady working the register took my ticket and retrieved my clothes.  She shouted to her her friend in the back of the store about whose turn it was to pick up their morning coffee. She told me my bill was $42, shouted some more about how it was too cold to walk to the coffee shop, and then apologized for giving me the wrong price, it was actually $35.  At that point, I was relieved it was $35!  But as I got into my car reality set in and I realized I paid more than double my usual dry cleaning costs. It was a quite a shock, especially that early in the morning before MY first cup of coffee. If I were someone who uses dry cleaning on a regular basis, that kind of money would put a big dent in the bank account. I would be hesitant to choose the green cleaner over the conventional one. Luckily, I usually dry clean my clothes no more than once a month. If the frequency of my visits to the dry cleaners is my justification to spend big bucks at a green cleaner, then I will continue to splurge at Presto.  What’s more, my clothes turned out great and I didn’t feel guilty about contributing to pollution.

Presto

A simpler and more effective approach to lessen my environmental impact is not to switch from the conventional to the green dry cleaner, but to reduce or even eliminate my trips to the dry cleaners. I can choose to buy clothes that don’t require dry cleaning. Instead of spending $8.75 per item at Presto, I can spend $2.00 to wash and dry a load of laundry in my apartment complex. I can choose the kinds of clothes I buy. Instead of buying the delicate fabrics that require professional care, I can choose to wear durable textiles that can be cleaned at home for very little cost. I’ve also found that clothes that require dry cleaning are usually the ones that are more expensive. I would be spending less on garments that require less maintenance. Granted, it’s not realistic to eliminate the dry cleaners from my life altogether, but if I can reduce the frequency in which I use them, then I’m that much ahead of the game.

In two weeks, I’ll write about chemicals in the everyday products we use and their health impacts.