“Camping” and “Food”
Camping and food are inseparable, right? Grill meat or cook rice. It’s one of the fun things.
After eating, we go to the kitchen to wash the dishes and use dish detergent, but I’ve heard that the ingredients in detergent can also have a negative impact on the environment.
The surfactants contained in the synthetic detergents we usually use are decomposed when sewage is treated. However, if the campsite does not have sewage treatment facilities, the water will simply flow into the river, which can affect fish.
Surfactants do not seem to have any effect on the environment if used in a certain amount, but it is important to keep the amount used to a minimum.
Effects of detergents on aquatic freshwater life - Lenntech B.V.
Environmentally friendly “bio detergent” and “additive-free dish detergent”
So, what kind of dishwashing detergent is environmentally friendly?
It seems that something called bio detergent or additive-free dish detergent is good.
Additive-free dish detergent - Amazon
This time, I tried an additive-free dish detergent called Happy Elephant.
Additive-free dish detergent “Happy Elephant” containing natural cleaning ingredient “SOFORO”
Happy Elephant - Official Website
This dishwashing detergent is labeled as “for vegetables and tableware.” The more you can wash the vegetables, the more naturally derived the ingredients will be.
- Contains no petroleum-based surfactants, synthetic fragrances, or colorants.
- After drainage, it is decomposed by microorganisms and quickly returned to the earth.
In addition, regarding the natural cleaning ingredient “SOFORO”, Happy Elephant’s official website states the following:
“SOFORO” is a natural ingredient created by fermenting natural yeast using vegetable oil (palm oil) and sugar as nutrients. Since it is a component produced by living things, it has excellent biodegradability and returns to the earth quickly after drainage. It is safe as a cosmetic and food ingredient, and is said to be the “cleaning agent of the future” that is kind to the environment and the skin.
After drainage, it is completely biodegraded by microorganisms into water and carbon dioxide, which quickly returns to the earth. In a biodegradability test, it completely decomposed into carbon dioxide and water within 22 days after being drained.
About natural ingredients SOFORO
Impressions after actually using additive-free dish detergent
I actually tried using it at a campsite.
- Unlike synthetic detergents, the detergent itself is very dry. It’s not sticky and looks like water.
- A fair amount of foaming.
- Most of the dirt came off cleanly.
- The oil stains that appeared when cooking meat didn’t come off once, so I washed it again.
I was able to use it without any problems during normal use.
As for the stubborn oil stains, I couldn’t get rid of the slimy feeling after just one try, so I washed it again.
Still, I wasn’t satisfied with it, so I washed it again after I got home.
However, I don’t know if I used the appropriate amount of detergent, so it may have come off properly depending on the amount I used.
summary
The cleaning power of synthetic detergents is amazing. Even a small amount will remove oil stains.
In this way, we have many “conveniences” thanks to the power of science, but I thought it would be nice to camp in an environmentally friendly way, even if it meant a little inconvenience.
It may be a very small thing, but if we all do it together, I think it can have a huge impact.
If you are reading this, please check to see if the campsite uses sewage treatment facilities before discharging water into the river before going to a campsite. If not, I hope you’ll try using one of these eco-friendly dish detergents.
May we be healed by nature forever.