ENVIRONMENT

You're soaking in it

One of the most terrifying things I've seen on television in recent months are those ads for disposable cleaning products. I watch in horror as manic, Khaki-pants wearing housewives rush in a state of housebound frenzy, jamming flimsy plastic faux mops into the nooks and crannies of their gigantic and spotless homes. Aside from the obvious Freudian readings, the commercials feature toxic attidues not only towards women (retro 50s values, etc) but to all aspects of our mental and environmental health.

Just the other day I was introduced to yet another new throwaway cleaning product, this time for dishes. It's a tiny soapy cloth you use once then toss in the garbage (but won't those landfills smell great?!). And tossing her magic cloth in the garbage the advertiser tells her not to worry because "there's plenty more where that came from!".

Canadian scientist and environmentalist David Suzuki has seen the commercials too. Take a look at what he had to say about the 'more-where-that-came-from' mantra in his weekly column "Why Science Matters":

"Funny, I hadn't realized that plain old reusable dish cloths were such a terrible inconvenience. Good thing a nice company was willing to point out my hardship. And look, they have a product to solve the problem. How thoughtful!"