Of all the actions on Practically Green, this one has always puzzled me. Why would bar soap be greener than a lovely bottle of all-natural shower gel?

I mentioned this to Julie Wagner and she said “Please let me write about it! I love soap!” So today Julie tackles Switch from Shower Gel to Bar Soap, a 10-point action that might just be the very last one on my list…. I love my goo! But Julie is pretty persuasive…. Read on, please, and let us know what you think!

Switch from shower gel to bar soap, by Julie Wagner

I often tell people that I have a 7 year-old boy and a 4 year-old girl who thinks she’s a 7 year-old boy.  She does her level best to keep up with her big brother!  When I say that my kids get dirty (and I mean *really* dirty) I mean both of them…so what’s a “wicked green” mama to do when it comes time to clean ‘em up?

Yes, those ARE Julie's feet on the right, her son's at left

What’s the difference between soap and detergent? Annie Bond put it simply when she stated that “Soaps are made of materials found in nature. Detergents are synthetic.”  Lately, it seems every time you turn around, there is a new scientific study sharing more information about the toxins in our homes, our foods, and in the products that we regularly use. It’s enough to give you a headache! (The barrage of information, not just the toxins.) Frighteningly, it isn’t just the new studies sharing these discoveries of toxicity… it is the fact that many of the components/ingredients in products aren’t tested at all.

In fact, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), “Cosmetics and other personal care products are an alarming example of government and industry failures to protect public health. Federal health statutes do not require companies to test products or ingredients for safety before they are sold. As a result, nearly all personal care products contain ingredients that have not been assessed for safety by any accountable agency, and that are not required to meet standards of safety.”

Are there other factors to consider?

Water. Shower gels contain water (most often the first ingredient) which means you’re paying for… water.  It also means greater amounts of packaging, additional transportation costs, and that adds up to an increased “carbon footprint” for the product.

Energy. The energy resources required both for the processing and manufacturing of the shower gel, in addition to the production of the plastic packaging, is much greater than that of a hand-poured soap in a paperboard package (if packaged at all)  The energy in transportation is also higher due to the heavy containers filled mostly with water.

So, what to choose?

I find bars of soap from my local farmer’s market fit my criteria best – few ingredients, sourced organically and/or locally, and crafted locally.  You can find many fabulous artisan soap makers across the country at local craft sales and farmer’s markets as well as online. One of my favorites is Mamas Herbal Soaps out of Portland, OR.

My plan: bar soap made from few ingredients, organic if available, minimal packaging (if any) and made locally if possible.

Julie is the Social Networking Coordinator for Holistic Moms Network, a national non-profit connecting families interested in holistic health and green living. She holds a BA in Education from Augustana College (Sioux Falls, SD) and has a passion for helping others learn about holistic and green alternatives in their lives.  Currently living on the coast of Maine with her husband, son and daughter, she co-leads a HMN Chapter with an amazing community of women who come together to share resources and support for holistic and green living. She is not an expert on the chemical composition of soaps nor on the science of carbon footprints; however, she is an expert on getting her own kids clean!

You can find Julie

You can find the Holistic Moms Network