I had no idea where to start this project, so apparently my subconscious decided to take "cleaning" up my act a little too literally: we begin our journey to a more sustainable lifestyle with soap. 

I lay sprawled out on my  boyfriend's sofa waxing poetic about trying to save the planet, and how there are a million small things we could do that would make a difference. Like bar soap has to be much better for the environment than liquid hand soap/detergents. "Soap?" my patient boyfriend said, surprised.

I immediately launched into an overly shrill and emotional defense of suds a la George Washington Crossing the Delaware, which led to a lot of googling and some apologizing after the fact. We refer to this incident of cray as SoapGate2017. (Sorry, babes!) 

*most liquid soaps are actually classified as detergents, save for plant-based Castile soap, which is super awesome

Here's why SOAP IS DOPE by the numbers, for which I give credit to the articles cited below:

• Detergents come with up to 20 times more packaging
• Users tend to use 7 times more product with liquid product
• Detergents' carbon footprint is typically 25% larger than bar soaps

And furthermore:

• Detergents tend to be petroleum based, while soaps are oils/fats, water, and an alkali
• Surfacants (active ingredient in liquid soaps) are terrible for fish and our watery ecosystems
• The EPA has advised that surfacants can disrupt your endocrine system (whaaaaaat?!)

I darted out the morning after SoapGate 2017 and happily raided the soap aisles of both Whole Foods and Harris Teeter, and am now luxuriating in a wealth of tiny, adorable bars of soap. The choices are endless, but I'm currently partial to Shea Moisture soaps because 1) they're way cheaper than my Whole Foods purchases 2) Harris Teeter is right next to my house and I'm lazy, let's be real, and 3) their company is also trying to do right by Mother Earth and the people on it. 

Also, you get to play the What Does My Soap Dish Say About Me game. 

Are you Modern or Manly?

A Walrus?

Or Feeling a bit Southern Gothic?

So next time you're at the store, remember: HIT THE BAR! (Or the Castile soap.)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-chameides/chemical-marketplace-bar_b_2104678.html

http://grist.org/living/whats-the-greener-choice-bar-soap-or-body-wash/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/151779-environmental-impacts-of-detergent/