What are mighty pacs?
all mighty pacs are little pre-measured pouches, or pacs, of liquid laundry detergent – one for each load, or two if you have a huge load. The pacs dissolve in the wash when placed in the drum, and are safe for all machines.

What’s that film made of?
The second time I saw these mighty pacs gazing at me from the shelf I decided to do a bit of research. Just what on earth is that film made of anyhow?

According to the all product website, the film is made of polyvinyl. I immediately thought of the yucky polyvinyl chloride, but that couldn’t be it. This film is supposed to be biodegradable. I asked a contact from Sun Products Corporation if the mysterious film is composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). And, indeed, it is. PVA is nontoxic, but I’m not a chemist, so if anyone out there has some interesting facts to throw at me, have at it.

Are mighty pacs green?
We could talk all day about green detergents from companies like Seventh Generation, etc., but what I’m focusing on here is whether this new type of packaging from a very popular company is eco-friendly.

The pre-measured pacs can help you avoid laundry detergent overdosing, so they can prevent waste. All detergent contains no phosphates, and is biodegradable. The free and clear version of all detergent contains no dyes or perfumes, and is often recommended for allergy sufferers.

According to the manufacturer, mighty pacs use 88 percent less water, and on average 64 percent less plastic packaging than their standard liquid detergent. Sun Products Corporation also says that they can ship 200,000 more wash loads per truck compared to their standard liquid detergent.

So, it’s clear that the pacs involve less plastic compared to the detergent bottles, and that the company may save fossil fuels during shipping. What’s not clear is whether the production of the PVA film negates the green benefits noted.

Does the pac actually dissolve?
Yes. I used the free and clear version in a front-loading he machine, and there was no evidence of a film after the wash. While it was handy to not have to measure and to know exactly how many loads I had left, it did take some time to re-zip the bag, which is supposed to remain closed. You also have to avoid touching the pacs with wet hands, or they may dissolve on you.

Will I buy all mighty pacs again?

Sigh. I haven’t decided. I’d love to get a conversation going on whether these mighty pacs are actually more eco-friendly compared to laundry detergent in a sturdy plastic bottle.

What do you think of pre-measuring laundry detergent in water-soluble pacs?

She will receive a free copy of Helen Olsson’s new book, The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids: How to Plan Memorable Family Adventures and Connect Kids to Nature.

If you didn’t win, check Helen’s blog for upcoming chances to win during the book’s blog tour!

To celebrate the film’s 10.6 million dollar opening weekend, Disneynature is extending the “See ‘Chimpanzee,’ Save Chimpanzees” benefit through May 3.

So, when you see “Chimpanzee” through May 3, Disneynature will donate to the Jane Goodall Institute, which runs the largest sanctuary for orphaned chimps in Africa in the Republic of Congo.

The Jane Goodall Institute also works to help protect the tropical rain forest that’s home to great apes, as well as many other animals and plants.

“Chimpanzee,” which is rated G, is a True Life Adventure that’s appropriate for young kids, but is also entertaining (and enlightening) for adults.

You’ll fall in love with little Oscar, and be thrilled with the intimate look into the lives of the film’s stars – a group of chimpanzees lead by the alpha male Freddy.

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, said, “We couldn’t be happier to extend this collaboration to help the Jane Goodall Institute better protect chimpanzees and the places they call home.”

She continued, “A film like ‘Chimpanzee’ helps spread the passion we have for these extraordinary beings, sharing the truly relatable moments experienced by Oscar and his fellow chimpanzees in a way that will hopefully inspire audiences to continue their support long after the movie ends.”

Have you seen the “Chimpanzee” movie?

“It’s unprecedented really,” says Dr. Jane Goodall about the special relationship that’s shown in Disneynature’s movie “Chimpanzee,” which opened April 20.

What’s so “unprecedented” is that the alpha male of the chimpanzee group, Freddy, adopts an orphaned chimp, Oscar, who would have perished without the leader’s help.

According to Goodall, there’s only “one observation of an alpha male adopting an infant in the last 53 years from the chimpanzee study site and nobody knows why that happened.” However, Goodall says that Freddie’s ultimate adoration of Oscar “just shows that these big, tough males have a soft side, a gentler side.”

UPDATE: The opening weekend of “Chimpanzee” was a 10.6 million dollar success, so Disneynature is celebrating by extending the “See Chimpanzee, Save Chimpanzees” benefit through May 3.

That means when you see the movie through May 3, a donation will be made to the Jane Goodall Institute to help chimpanzees who face threats like deforestation, as well as little chimps who’ve been orphaned by the bushmeat trade.

So, what should you expect when you go see “Chimpanzee?”  Goodall predicts you’ll fall in love with little Oscar. “There’s no way you can’t,” suggests Goodall. The movie, which is kid-friendly, doesn’t show any gory details, no dead animal bodies. Rather, it’s beautifully filmed to help viewers really get to know the rainforest.

Goodall, who was not involved with the production of the film, says, “The shots showing you what it’s like down deep in the forest are amazing.”

Indeed, you’ll not only see shots of intricate forest details from the ground, but from above –revealing the unspeakable splendor of the waterfalls.

Goodall says she has “enormous admiration” for the filmmakers who braved vicious biting army ants, bees, and high heat and humidity to “crawl through the vegetation with really heavy loads on their backs.” On that note, I’d like to remind you to stay through the credits. You’ll get to meet the filmmakers and see a few forest encounters.

If you, like Goodall predicts, fall in love with Oscar, then please do try to help chimpanzees. You can do that by learning more at the Jane Goodall Institute, and by finding out more about the program for kids and college students called Roots & Shoots, which is now in 120 countries. Roots & Shoots gets young people involved in community service projects to help make the world a better place.

Goodall sums up the main message for us all:

Every single one of us makes a difference, every single day. If we would just think about the consequences of the choices we make—what we buy, what we wear, what we eat. How did that affect the environment? Did it involve cruelty to animals? Did this involve sweat shop labor in other countries? If we just start thinking that way, and thinking about choices we make, like turning taps off, and saving electricity, and riding a bicycle if possible—these kinds of little things.

If you’ve seen “Chimpanzee,” please share your thoughts with us!

Having a bunch of tips thrown at you for Earth Day can seem overwhelming. All you have to do though is start somewhere!

It’s never too late to start recycling, start taking your own bags to the store, start buying organic, or stop buying bottled water, etc. Even if you’ve done (or not done) all the eco-friendly things most people talk about, chances are there’s still something you can improve on.

Open yourself up. Think. Write some green goals.

Here are some earth-friendly goals I’ve worked on in the past, and  you might like them too:

1. Tell store managers when they don’t carry a product you want (your favorite organic peanut butter or recycled paper towels, etc.).

2. Make it from scratch with less packaging. For example, make your pancakes, dumplings or biscuits from scratch instead of buying boxes of Bisquick. You probably already have the ingredients in your pantry, and you’ll save money! Plus, you can use organic flour.

3. Choose organic whenever possible, but especially when it comes to beef and certain fruits and veggies.

Learn more about Earth Day!

And make sure political leaders know you care about the planet.

I admire those who do without paper towels. I’m not one of them. I’ve reduced my paper towel usage, and I buy only recycled paper towels.

I won’t go into my reasons for wanting paper towels around (ok -cleaning cat vomit is one), but I will say a big thank you to the retailers who stock recycled paper towels.

Of the stores I visit, it seems that my local Target does the best job with keeping plenty of recycled paper towels in stock. They have Seventh Generation, Green Forest and Scott Naturals. I never thought I’d see the day when I’d find not one, but three different recycled paper towels in Target!

If you use recycled paper towels, what is your favorite brand and why?

You may think filling your own bottle with water is too much trouble, but have you thought about how much cooler your water can be?

When it’s hot out and you’re sitting by the pool, wouldn’t it be oh, so nice to have a bottle of water than stays cool?

Forget the disposable plastic water bottles that can leach BPA. Go with something cool like an insulated BPA-free water bottle.

My favorite water bottle for keeping things cool is the thinksport.

I’ve been using my thinksport water bottle since 2009 and it has never failed me when I wanted a cool drink, even when it’s 100 degrees out!

(ok, even though it’s been a long time ago, i feel you should know that I got this water bottle for free to review. however, i’d really not still be talking about it years later if I didn’t clearly love it!)

Turning on your computer does create a small surge in electrical use, but it’s often better to shut down when you won’t be around for a bit.

The guide for when to shut down your computer and switch off your monitor: If you’ll be away for 20 minutes, turn your monitor off, and if you’ll be gone for two hours, shut down your computer and turn the monitor off. (Source: U.S. Department of Energy)

I know that it’s hard to remember that you’ve left your computer on. This is a goal to reach for, but don’t beat yourself up if you walk into a room and realize you’ve left the computer on unused for five hours. Just do better the next time!

You can change how you drive and use less gas. This is yet another case where being earth-friendly also saves you money.

Each five miles per hour you drive over 60 miles per hour is the same as paying an additional $0.31 per gallon for gas! (Source: U.S. Department of Energy)

So, it seems that safety pays. Really, how often do you have to drive over 60 anyhow?

If you’re intrigued, visit the government’s Fuel Economy website for more tips.