Note: for the purposes of this review Eco Touch provided us a complementary Wash and Wax Kit.

The traditional driveway car wash uses an average of 20 + gallons of water and sends all manner of chemicals, soaps and non-biodegradable materials into lawns, storm drains and local waterways. A neat alternative – the Eco Touch Waterless Car Wash. Do the planet and your car a solid – try this waterless car wash product and wax. Eco Touch makes their car care products with natural, plant-based, biodegradable ingredients and they actually work. The Eco Touch products contain no parabens, phosphates, dyes or alcohol. A key to their car wash’s effectiveness is its combination of plant-derived surfactants that lift the dirt away from the car’s finish and Eco Touch’s micro fiber towels (machine-washable and totally reusable) that really suck up dirt.

The test: I recently waited until my car was appropriately grungy from sitting in an open air garage adjacent to our local commuter train station. (more…)

There’s a lot to like about this revolutionary green cleaning product line called bio+green crystals. I just tried their Glass & Window Cleaner, and it does an AMAZING job of cleaning glass and mirrors. No streaks. No funky smells. Just sparkling clean and green. I used it on mirrors in my bedroom and bathroom; glass cocktail table and glass-top desk; and my car windows. WOW, great stuff.

• Manufactured by NBGS (National Bio Green Sciences) it’s the world’s first line of crystalline, vitamin-based household cleaning agents — made in the USA, and safe for people, pets and planet. The Glass & Window Cleaner contains plant derived surfactants and absolutely nothing nasty — there are no: phosphates, petrochemicals sodium lauryl sulfate and VOCs.

• All you do is drop a water soluble sachet of cleaning crystals into a 32 ounce spray bottle, fill it with water and you’re good to go. Whenever you need a refill, simply buy a sachet refill and repeat the process.

• From an ecological perspective, it’s great because the company isn’t shipping heavy products (no bottles filled with water) from manufacturing to market, the sachets take up less shelf space, and they’re lightweight and easy for us to carry home and tuck into the cleaning supply cabinet. Just be sure to recycle the outside plastic package. (No doubt, someday that little piece of plastic will be made from a biodegradable material.)

• Did you know that according to a 2007 study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, exposure to cleaning products accounts for 15 percent of all asthma cases? The line is endorsed by Doctor Kenneth Bock, a pioneer in children’s health advocacy, and one of the founders of 4-A Healing Foundation, which assists families with children affected by Autism, ADHD, Asthma and Allergies. A portion of Bio+Green profits are donated to the foundation.

• Non-toxic, eco-friendly, hypo-allergenic and effective … With 7 different products available today, we’ll be keeping an eye on this company’s future developments.

Learn more about NJ-based company founder and father of 6 children, Nikolaos (Nik) Renieris, and find more info & pricing @ biogreencrystals.com.

full disclosure: I received one bio-plastic spray bottle and one packet of Glass & Window Cleaner for the purposes of this no -strings-attached Tried and True Green Product Review. It retails for $5.99/per packet.

Since our first trial of Vaska in ’09, I’ve been a fan of their laundry detergent (review here) – it’s one of the best green laundry detergents available. So when I was recently offered a free bottle of Spotoff spray for testing purposes, I said sure. This past weekend, armed with the advanced botanicals spot remover, I put it to the test on a white organic cotton hoodie that was covered with all sorts of stains, including red ink, tomato sauce and soy sauce. (I know, what a slob.) Poor hoodie – I thought it might be headed to the re-use bin but much to my amazement all the ugly stains were lifted in just 2 easy steps.

I sprayed the garment with Vaska Spotoff, let it sink-in for about 30 minutes, and then tossed it into the washing machine with a load of whites. I used my usual Vaska Herbatergent (liquid laundry detergent), which I buy on a regular basis. When I hung the hoodie to dry I almost hugged it. It was spotless. Freakin’ aweseome. Needless to say, you’ll never see another bottle of Shout on my shelf.

Spotoff is biodegradable – derived from natural ingredients, and formulated to treat spills and stains on clothing, rugs and upholstery. Safe on colors, whites, natural and synthetic textiles. The company tells me it’s potent enough to remove wine stains, which I’m sure will come in handy (perhaps after that New Year’s bash).

ingredients: botanical surfactants, natural blending agents, lavender extract, alcohol and filtered water. Contains no dyes, chlorine or fragrances.

Body- and planet-friendly, find Vaska at Duane Reade in NYC and online at amazon.com; (priced at about $10 per 22 oz & worth every penny).

full disclosure – I received one bottle of Spotoff for the purposes of this Tried and True Green Product Review – no strings attached.

This week we’re featuring great products that are made of recycled and upcycled material. (America Recycles Day is tomorrow).

We love shopecogoods.com … AltCon readers receive an exclusive 20% off on all purchases by entering code AC20 at checkout. Rather than showcase items made of BPA-filled plastic and non-renewable resources, their beautiful selection is comprised of biodegradable materials and/or materials that have been recycled – helping to keep things like plastic yogurt cups and milk jugs out of our landfills. (All items pictured above are created from recycled materials.)

Prices are affordable, and with eco-conscious collections of useful items for you, your family and your home – it’s a wonderful go-to source for essentials and gift-buying year-round. New to the lineup is an awesome new composter. You’ll also find Olive Green Dog shampoo and healthy pet snacks, home decor, personal care items, cool gifts and lots more. (Spoon rests, above, are made of biodegradable bamboo fiber, only $1.99/each) @ shopecogoods.com…use code AC20 at checkout.

A Tried and True Green Product Review: we received a 3-pack of Supreme Surface Granite Cleaner & Conditioner + micro-fiber cloths for the purposes of this review. In a word, this stuff is amazing. We love it.

backstory – Did you know that your granite counter-tops need special care to keep them not only clean, but conditioned and protected? Neither did I, ’til recently. It explained a lot – now I understood why my kitchen countertops just didn’t seem to ever look shiny or feel clean. The surfaces always looked rather dull and streaky. So I went in search of an eco friendly solution. When I found Supreme Surface Cleaners – a 100% organic, non-toxic and food-safe option, I asked for a sample to try.

I’ve been using it for the past few days and it’s great. It claims to leave a streak-free shine – and it does. It claims to condition and protect against stains – and it does. No fingerprints. One application lasts a nice long while, too. My countertops really shine and look nourished. Like when you “feed wood” a good natural polish. Just spray Supreme Surface on the microfiber cloth and give that stone surface a good buff. Smells nice, too. (more…)

Green Clean: The Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning Your Home by Linda Mason Hunter and Mikki Halpin

I picked up a copy of this book at my local library; it’s a great first step in learning how to green your cleaning routine. Intended for both those who may still use some traditional cleaning supplies but need a few green tips, as well as those who already buy green cleaning supplies, but desire to go a little deeper.

Green Clean gently guides you to think outside the box of cleaning products you probably grew up with. The first section explains how our homes have become so chemical-laden. Then it goes through item by item, and details the health risks of each of product found in the average household.

Be prepared to throw out the large majority of what’s under your sink the day you read this book. But don’t just (more…)

The remediation industry exists, in large part, to clean up the messes made by other industries. Most notably, when our buddies in the fossil fuel industry misplace billions of gallons of oil, a remediation company is contracted to clean it up. Unfortunately, clean up technology and methods are a new science, and many seem to harm the environment in the process of cleaning up. On the greener side of remediation is VeruTEK, a small chemical company that has just designed a clean up process without the negative effects.

Green-nano Zero Valent Iron, or G-nZVI, is a remediation catalyst that can clean up sites of chemical contamination without adding other harmful chemicals to the mix. Developed by the combined efforts of VeruTEK Technologies Inc., and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, G-nZVI will be the go-to clean up method for virtually all industrial chemical spills and disasters. The novel aspect of VeruTEK’s new catalyst is that it is a plant-based technology, whereas other remediation techniques involve throwing chemicals at the chemical spill.

G-nZVI is biodegradable and does not require a clean up after it has been applied to a contaminated site. It is also less expensive, less volatile, easier to store and has a longer shelf life than all other remediation chemicals. Remediation is also a booming industry, so the good scientists at VeruTEK stand to be rewarded in kind for their great work.

via: hartfordbusiness.com related: eco science and news

According to recent surveys by SustainAbility and GlobeScan, Unilever is now considered the global leader in industrial sustainability. Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational that makes a number of popular foods, beverages, cleaning agents and hygienic products.

This achievement is no doubt the result of the corporation’s November 2010 Sustainable Living Plan, which intends to bring 50 environmental, social and economic programs to fruition. Set to be achieved by 2020, some of these endeavors included halving the environmental cost of all Unilever products, extracting 100% of the company’s agricultural raw materials from sustainable sources and last, but certainly not least, improving the health and well being of a billion people around the globe.

You already may be enabling Unilever to help consumers (more…)

UPDATE: It’s official – Congratulations to our lucky winners – Cyndy H and Marlo R! Thanks to everyone for participating – don’t forget you can purchase Mrs. Jones’ Soapbox products (check out her sample sizes) and receive 10% off through June 5 by using Coupon Code AltCon10. Original Post follows…

This exclusive Great Green Giveaway and offer is generously sponsored by Mrs. Jones’ Soapbox.

2 lucky winners will each receive one jar of handmade, eco-friendly laundry detergent; a bamboo measuring spoon AND their choice of one other product from the line that they’d most like to try: Clean, Shine, Sparkle, Soapy or Scrub. All cleaning products are made of people- and planet-friendly ingredients.

Each prize value, $28 plus free delivery to residents in the USA or Canada. You’ll receive detergent for 80 loads (160 for HE machines). Detergent is a unique mix of: coconut and citronella soap, borax, washing soda, baking soda, essential oil blend of lavender, tea tree & citrus oils.

Extra bonus — Mrs. Jones is offering altCon readers a special 10% off any purchase you make for the next month. Simply enter coupon code AltCon10 – offer expires June 5, 2011.

To enter this Giveaway & qualify simply:

(more…)