It Ain't Easy Being Green When You're in the Red...

I recently Twittered about this news article I read online about Spokane residents who have to "smuggle in" non-green detergents because of the environmental restrictions the state has dictated. I must admit, for a while I was using 7th Generation dishwasher cleanser and must agree with the smugglers... the stuff is crap. It doesn't work as well as... the other stuff. Additionally, a recent survey by Mintel and printed in Happi, finds U.S. shoppers less interested in going green because of the cost and the value.nnNow here's my .02 cents and I hope you chime in, as well ::nnThose folks are right! Some of these "eco, green and natural" products aren't worth the $40 bucks we're overpaying for it. I come from both the beauty side and green living side. I've probably used more of this stuff than the average bird and especially when it comes to cleaning products, a good number of these products are over-priced and under deliver.nnI am horrified (but not so shocked) that government is nosing into the business of product use. However, obviously the chemicals in these products have done some unseemly things to the water and of course, this pollution has an effect on the entire eco-system so what can you do?nnI'm hard pressed for a suggestion. I try to use green products when possible in my household cleaning routine, but I've found that soap scum and mildew aren't really afraid of tea tree oil and water. I know for sure I'm not interested in scrubbing on my hands and knees for hours to remove it, either. And really, with the ecoomy like it is, who wants to spend $5 bucks on cleaners that, while may be good for the environment, are hard on my pocket more than the grime I'm trying to clean? And I don't even want to talk about my first encounter with natural laundry products! My God! My clothes weren't very clean; I could literally still smell my perfume on one of shirts and heaven knows I don't need a second whiff of my husband's gym clothes.nnSo what are the choices for the eco, but budget minded folks? When other states enact this bill, will we all turn into smugglers of cleaners and products? And how can you stay green when you may be facing unemployment soon?