Living the Green Way

From the multinationals to the neighborhood dry cleaner, going green is the trend.  But is it worth it?  Or just fancy marketing?

Many of the national brands are putting the “green” spin on their products hoping to attract more customers and the savy consumer has to beware. So, what else is new?  Consumers have learned over the last few decades to beware, be savy, read the labels and particularly question the product. 

Another aspect of this new marketing trend is to be “organic.”  Again, the consumer must beware.  Many products and services are boasting that they are Organic and attracting the health concious crowd.  But is organic necessarily better?  Typically, this is true but in one industry at least organic is just a fancy spin on an old process.

Dry cleaning has been using organic solvents since its inception.  Indeed, most all dry cleaners are organic. Perc, the nasty nasty chemical that is both toxic and carcinogenic is organic!  The cleaning solvent most dry cleaners are turning to as a replacement of that nasty nasty. hydrocarbon (formally:isparfin hydrocarbon) is also toxic and a likely carcinogen, yet this is the cleaning solvent used by dry cleaners claiming to be “ORGANIC.”

How are they organic?  Both are synthetic petroleum distillates  (petroleum being from organic materials therefor its by products are organic), but one whiff of either one invokes the senses with toxcity, i.e. one knows it has to be toxic.

Another product on the market is known as Solvair.  This process uses a form of glycol ether, similar to antifreeze for you automobile.  Often advertised as CO2 Cleaning it is organic also but none the less it is not “green” as it is a toxic substance (ask any cat that has slurped on leaked antifreeze) and the jury is still out on whether or not it is a good cleaning process.  One local cleaner has received numerous bad reviews from their Solvair process.

What’s left?  GreenEarth Cleaning.  Discovered in a cosmetics plant where it is used as a filler for such personal care products like underarm deodorant and face creams, it is silicone based and is non-toxic and non-carcinogenic and biodegradable - it degrades into three earth friendly substances: sand (SiO2) water (H2O) and Oxygen(O2)) 

At last a green cledaning process that is truly green and not just a marketing ploy!  Greensleeves Garment Care operates in the New York City metro area and uses GreenEarth Cleaning process.  They have a rapidly growing base of loyal customers that express continued amazment. 

“The whites are brighter, much whiter.” says Fran Galilna who was so impressed with the cleaning she told her all  friends.  “The clothes are so soft and best of all there is no chemical smell.”

“What I like most is it doesn’t beat up my clothes,” says Robert Cardali who is a man of style who puts great pride in his appearance.  Indeed, the GreenEarth process is gentle and helps clothes stay new longer.

Greensleeves, at www.TheGreenDryCleaner.com, proves that all marketing is not just spin.  Some are boasting facts of a dedicated service, a commitment to a better way and showing all that green is not just “in” it is also better.

(all quotes are actual statements by customers of Greensleeves)

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Recently launched innovative Web site lets users track life achievements, save stories or just jot down a secret family recipe for future generations to access on the Internet whenever they want.

(PRWEB) July 8, 2008 - After six months in its beta version, July marks the first month that the much-anticipated new Web site MarkinHistory.com became available to the public.

Users can now write a letter to their great, great grandchildren — in their own words — and tell them what their life was like. What would it be like to look up a relative that lived, say, 150 years ago and find a detailed account of their life in their own words — complete with pictures, video, and even their DNA (to come soon)?

Mark in History changes all that. Forever.

Mark in History is a reference site where the user creates their own page, detailing their life or the life of a loved-one. Using the users’ own words and pictures, the information will remain accessible on the Internet in perpetuity. Future generations will be able to look up great, great grandfathers or grandmothers and read about them, find out who they were, how they lived and what they did in their lifetime. The site is a Historical Biography on everyone who writes their own entry.

Mark in History is dedicated to preserving the accounts of its users through future generations as long as there is an Internet. Based in Open Source code to allow continuous updating and improvements, it is to be funded through a trust fund established from proceeds from the site, such as advertising revenue and referral fees. It is a simple idea beautifully developed for the good of the common person.

Creator, Thomas C. Davis Jr. says he felt inspired by the conversations over family dinners.

“We would talk about family members and end up arguing, in good nature, about this uncle or that grandmother, about who they were and what they did. Something like: ‘Remember when Freddie got a motorcycle and broke his leg? No, no, that was Tony. He had a cast on for two months and lost his job over it,’” says Davis. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could just look them up on the Internet and find out? Or look up anyone, here or gone? Find out who they were, what they did in life, how they lived? Unknown heroes? Forgotten family?”

The time has come.

Never again need a life go forgotten with time. Never again will the accomplishments of hard work, creative motivation or the ideas, thoughts and beliefs of a person fade into the mists of the past. The history books are now open wide for each to write his or her story and pass the value of their life onto future generations. To make their Mark in History.

For more information or to sign up, visit www.markinhistory.com.