one man review - soy candles

Review time! Ding ding ding! Ok, so method has recently had some little ole' troubles with their candle line. Just a little background, for those of you that may be a tad confused (which is what I'm hearing from some comments here on method lust.)

Around August of last year method introduced a new and "improved" (and we all know why THAT'S in quotes, right?) soy candle for their aircare line. Gone was the ceramic container, in it's place was a new sleek (and 100% recyclable! Which was the reason they moved away from the non-recyclable ceramic) glass bowl! It was all held nice and tidy by a paper wrapper that said in big type "SOY". And it brought us new and returning scents in the form of gingerbread + spice, frosted fir, winterberry, spiced pear, and toasted hazelnut; and all our favorite mainstays! And we were so excited, and ran home to light them up, and watched them burn, and realized...

they sucked. (With honest apologies to poor Ryan Williams, and the rest of the wonderful green chef method team!)

(These, are actually burnt out.)

They burnt - poorly. Like, not a little poorly, but moreso, really, badly poorly. (Ok, ok, I know, enough salt in the wounds! Ha ha!)

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So, method has just released a new soy wax formula for their candles, and it debuted this month! Now, in order to make sure you're picking up the new soy candles, look for the paper wrap that says "BREATHE EASY" on it. I think there has been some slight confusion here. These are the new candles! Nothing else has changed about them, the glass container is still the same, etc. Though they do also have a sticker or two on them that says: "New Wax Formula, Now Burns Even Better."

Well, I picked myself up a new soy lavender + lemongrass candle (my favorite scent of the main three!) to test! Would it indeed burn better? Or would I be doomed?

I have to say, I'm impressed! Now, here's the thing. When you first light them, they do this burn tease that says "I'm just like the old soy candles!" and you're all like, no! This was evident when a fellow reader commented:

"I bought one when I saw my local target carrying them last week. Around the outer edge, there's a strange soft ring of wax. Actually it's kinda the consistancy of butter or old cold grease. It's still super soft some 24 hours after being blown out. I'm curious if I'm supposed to scoop that bit away or if it's actually going to burn because it doesn't seem like it."

And I saw this, too. It was just like the previous version, where the outer edge wasn't burning, and I was all like "Man!" But, I continued to burn the candle, because I was determined to give it a thorough testing. And it appears that the new consistency is a lot softer, so that as the candle continues to melt down through multiple burnings, the sides will start to melt down, also. (Which was the problem with the previous candles, as a hole would burn straight down, and you'd end up with all this wax on the sides that never burned.)

On these new candles I didn't push the wax down, or touch it in any way. The only thing I did do on occasion (but I do this with all my candles, method or not) is if I'd noticed the wax melting more on one side over another; I'll usually take the end of a pair of scissors, or a knife, or my burnt match, and just push the wick over a little, so it's centered better, etc. (Make sense? Sometime they can get a tad off center, which I think is just what happens when you burn a candle.)

In the end, it burnt all the way down! Barely any wax remained, save for a small puddle once the wick finally burnt out (which is normal for most candles.) And I was so excited! We finally got our great method candles back! I definitely recommend the new candles (remember, with the "Breathe Easy" paper wrap!) Run out and pick up your favorite scent today (or hold out, and pick up some beach sage, coming soon!)

I'm giving it a 4.5 out of five! I think the new soy wax formula works great (though personally, I still think it could use a slightly larger wick. But hey, that's just me!) I'd like to know how your experiences with the new soy candles are going! Leave your thoughts in the comments!

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Also, from the upcoming polls roundup, I'm shocked at how many method fans have yet to try out their candles (60% of method lust readers!) I'm curious why this is? Are you not a candle fan? Afraid you'll burn down your house? Simply prefer one of their other aircare products instead? I'd love to know! So tell me why you haven't tried their soy candles yet! Thanks!

deal'e'ohs!

Just a quick note to let you know Target has reduced (permanently!) prices on select method products! The aroma pill night lights we lust so much have dropped from $8.99 to $7.99; with the regular aroma pills now $6.99 from $7.99. Also, the squeaky green kids washes are $5.99, from $6.49! (Yeah, I took a trip to Target tonight, can you tell?)

scrubbing bubbles, method style

Ok, I think these pics are adorable! Especially the one with the two founders frolicking in a bathtub. Yeah, I'll leave that one be! This article comes from Inc.com. Enjoy!

"How Two Friends Built a $100 Million Company

The Rise of Method Home
Childhood friends Adam Lowry (left) and Eric Ryan didn't set out to reinvent an industry. But the combination of modern design and eco-friendly ingredients has made Method Home, the company they founded in 2000, into a $100 million behemoth. The story behind Method's now ubiquitous bowling pin-shaped containers of soap and dishwashing liquid is more than your typical bootstrapping saga. Think soapy concoctions mixed in bathtubs, drained checking accounts, and a business that barely squeaked through the dot-com bubble. Here's how Method did it.

Step One: Differeniate Yourself
While living in San Francisco in the late 1990s, Ryan and Lowry, who grew up together in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, spent hours brainstorming about products that they could reinvent. They decided to reimagine the most prosaic of household items--cleaning supplies. At the time, large corporations like Procter & Gamble and Clorox dominated the market with fairly generic products that contained harsh, toxic chemicals. Method's cleaners would be environmentally friendly and would feature elegant packaging. "Method has to enter a category with a huge disruption," Alastair Dorward, then Method's CEO, told Inc. in 2007. "The story cannot be copied overnight or eroded by existing [companies]. It has to have disruptive packaging, ingredients, and fragrance."

Step Two: Persistence Pays - Even In A Recession
Lowry and Ryan produced their first product just as the Internet bubble gave way to a recession that hit the San Francisco Bay area hard. The company quickly bled through the $100,000 in savings the partners had put up as seed capital. The founders mixed the first few batches of their all-purpose cleaning solution in a bathtub and delivered orders in a beat-up truck. By the Spring of 2001, Method had hired Dorward as CEO, but the founders would soon max out their credit cards. At one point, they had just $16 left in the bank and payments to vendors were three or four months past due. "We had to appeal to the inner entrepreneur of each of our vendors," Lowry told Inc. last year "We had to sell them on the fact that Eric and I could do something that had never been done before."

Step Three: Branding Isn't Just For Big Companies
Within a year or so, Method had fought its way to distribution in 800 stores--including shelf space in Target--and had secured enough capital to remain afloat. But Ryan and Lowry believed it wasn't enough to build a niche, green brand. They had the audacity to imagine Method outsmarting the big boys in the very field they had basically invented: brand building. But first Method’s founders had to woo one of their favorite designers to lend a hand. "The design goal is to reinvent the banal dish soap that looks like a relic of the 1950s and sits on every sink across the landscape of America," the founders wrote to Karim Rashid (pictured), a New York City-based design impresario. Though Rashid received about 15 unsolicited pitches a week, he liked Method’s boldness and the company’s concept. In 2001, Rashid agreed to come aboard as Method's chief creative officer.

Step Four: Stay Nimble
Whereas giant companies can take years to bring a new product to market, Method has built up the wherewithal to introduce a new product in only a matter of weeks. Lowry and Ryan have focused the entire company around speed and innovation. Production is outsourced to more than 50 separate subcontractors, designs that don’t take off are pulled quickly, and Lowry and Ryan focus their energies on staying one step ahead of the corporate giants in the cleaning products space. Today, Method makes more than 150 products SKUs. "When you run through the legs of Goliath," Ryan told Inc. in 2007, "you need to spend a lot of time thinking about how to act so you don't put yourself in a place you can be stepped on."

clean sweeps

+ A couple bits of interest! First up, the pomegranate + tea and citrus cilantro candles seem to have hit $3.98 at most Targets! The catch? There is currently only one Target store near me that's actually caught onto this, and priced them accordingly! Every other store has them out with the updated wax formula candles, at apparently normal price. BUT run them under the price check machine...

interlude - (don't you just LUST those at Target! And you can actually find them easily, unlike at Walmart, where I'm huntin' and peckin' for a price machine for fifteen minutes?!? What the heck. I actually had someone working at Walmart tell me to go to a different price machine in the electronics section "because the ones on the floor don't always show you the right prices." As in, the ones put out there for the customers, right? Ok, makes sense to me! (Well, Walmart sense!) Whew, but do I digress...) - over!

So do a quick check on the pomegranate + tea/citrus cilantro candles, and snatch some up! (So far it's only the candles in these two fragrances that are being discontinued.)

+ method lust reader Jamison has passed along a great idea I hadn't even thought of! If you happen to notice your local Target is out of method candles (or at least your favorite scent! Some stores are running low!) Head on over to customer service, and get a rain check! That way, when the price goes back up, you'll still have some rain checks to use for $4.99! (Especially when the candles get restocked!) I'm not sure of the specifics, including how long rain checks are valid, but I thought I'd share the news! Thanks Jamison!

+ I've almost finished off my first new wax formula method candle, and will have a review up very soon! As well as a roundup of our latest method lust polls!

it's citrus, miss cilantro is you're nasty

Look what I found at my local Big Lots last night! They've gotten some citrus cilantro aroma rings in! Looks like the method products continue to trickle into the stores! I'm going to do some more Big Lots loitering this weekend, and see what I can see!

I also noticed on one of method's lastest twitter methodtweets they mentioned to an advocate lusting for some more beach sage bloq lotion (and not being able to find it at Target. Hello, how long has bloq been discontinued? Do these people not roam up and down the method aisles each and every time they go to their local Target!? Do they not sniff, and re-sniff all the scents anytime they see a method bottle, even though by now they know what they smell like in their sleep?! Are they not obsessed to a degree that's simply not right?! I mean, that sounds crazily sane! What's up with these people? And how can I get some of what they're drinking, cause really, I need help... no, really. Help me, please. I had another method dream last night. Don't even get me started. The big method boss (I don't remember who it was, it was a "dream boss") was firing me from method, even though I didn't work for method (not even in the dream! Ha ha!) even after I helped them all look for some method products in this crazy warehouse, but they had to cut corners; but then I said something profound to him, and he realized there was no way he could lose my utter genius, so he unfired me from being fired from a position I was never hired to! Yay! Ah dreams... I remember my family came up to me in my dream, on the side of the street (cause that's where you always meet your family, just roaming the streets.) And they were trying to talk to me and I was all like "Psh, psh! I'm on the phone with method! Can't talk now!" oh, where was I? Oh yes.)

...to possibly check their local Big Lots. Now, I'm not sure about you, but I have yet to see any bloq products pop up at Big Lots; so either it's was simply a suggestion not necessarily based on current fact (did you like that sentence? I did, it sounds very lawyer-y, doesn't it! Ok, ok, anyway...) OR perhaps they know something we don't, and bloq products could be hitting our Big Lots shelves very soon! Time will tell!

new candle wax reviews

Hey guys, I'm setting this post up for anyone to leave comments concerning method's new candle wax formula that's just hit the stores! I'm curious to see how it's burning, and what you think! So as you get a chance to give these new candles a try, leave comments for your fellow lusters!

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Also, I've discovered through our latest polls that there are a lot of you out there that have yet to try method's candles! What gives? I'm curious why you haven't picked them up yet! Let me know! Worried candles will burn your house down, just "don't do candles", not a fan of the scents? Leave us your comments! Thanks!

one person's trash..

A very insightful article from the Washington Post concerning a drop in trash! (Isn't it funny that they actually measure things like drops and surges in trash?)

"A Trashed Economy Foretold | By Brigid Schulte

Along with the stock market and the foreclosure rate, a less-heralded barometer has signaled the arrival of hard times: the landfill.

In an extravagantly wasteful society that typically puts 254 million tons of unwanted stuff at the curb to be thrown away each year, landfill managers say they knew something was amiss in the economy when they saw trash levels start steadily dropping last year. Now, some are reporting declines as sharp as 30 percent.

"The trash man is the first one to know about a recession because we see it first," said Richard S. Weber, manager of the Loudoun County landfill. "Circuit City's closing, so people aren't going there and buying those big boxes of stuff and throwing away all that Styrofoam and shrink-wrap . . . and whatever they were replacing."

Trash volume has dropped so much, Weber said, that instead of running out of space in 2012, as had been projected, the Loudoun landfill will gain a year and a half or so of use. "That's huge," he said.

In Prince William County, which has been particularly hard hit with foreclosures, the amount of discarded refrigerators, washers, dryers and other appliances that are usually sent to the landfill has fallen by 20 percent since the recession started. "People aren't buying new," said Tom Smith, solid waste program manager. "They're making do with what they have."

It's all part of the cycle of stuff that people in the trash business say they've seen in every economic downturn since the end of World War II. People don't buy stuff, so there's less packaging -- which typically makes up one-third of all landfill trash -- to toss. With a drop in demand, manufacturers make less, creating less waste. More vacant homes and fewer people in a community mean less trash. A stagnant housing market means less construction debris. On tight budgets, people eat out less, so restaurants order less, so there's less to throw away. Landscapers are out of work, so there's less yard debris.

At the Montgomery County transfer station, it wasn't unusual to see as many as 40 garbage trucks waiting in a line that snaked nearly a mile back to the entrance gate on Shady Grove Road to dump their loads. "Now, there's virtually no line," manager Peter Karasik said. "Ever."

Even in Virginia, which takes in more out-of-state garbage than any state save one, trash men began noticing declines in late 2007 of 10 to 20 percent. "And normally garbage is a pretty steady business because everybody wants to get rid of it," said Richard Doucette, a waste program manager with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Now, he said, some landfills are laying off workers.

Finally, said Ben Boxer, spokesman for Fairfax County's solid waste management program, the economy is forcing people to heed the environmentalists' mantra: Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! Repair! "A lot of these things that people throw away do have a valuable second life," he said, "especially for those who, now more than ever, are going to be facing difficult times."

In better times, Boxer has seen perfectly usable sofas crammed into dumpsters. But now, instead of ending up at the dump, stuff is being repaired and kept or traded on Web sites such as Freecycle.org, where as many as 70,000 people a week have been registering to swap stuff since the recession officially began in the fall.

Americans might not be saving string and rubber bands like their grandparents did during the Great Depression. But as the recession drags on, they are clearly rethinking the way they use their plentiful stuff.

These are the kinds of times that compel Paul Zehfuss to drive about 15 minutes from Springfield to Alexandria during his lunch hour to a new store that sells only batteries to get a little more life out of his electric toothbrush.

In other times, Zehfuss would have "absolutely" tossed the thing. His two-year-old silver Braun would have become just another ounce in what some environmental groups calculate as the 25,000 tons of toothbrushes Americans throw away every year.

"I realize this is kind of stupid," Zehfuss said. "But I'd rather replace the battery right now than buy new.""

Head here to read the rest of the article!

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You know, something that drives me batty is when I see perfectly good items being pushed to the curb for the trash to pick up, instead of going to the local Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc! What is the deal with people becoming SO lazy, they'd rather just throw it out on their yard than take it to one of these retail stores so that some additional use can be gotten from not only the object, but it helps to employ people in need at these businesses! I've thought more times than not of just picking it up and dragging it there myself (and have on occasion done this!) But I think it'd become a full time job if I was to get really serious about it! So come on people, do your part to reduce trash in the landfills, and help out these businesses! No more good furniture, etc. on the curbs!

Oh, and the guy that used to throw his electric toothbrushes away, instead of just buying new batteries for it. He. Should. Be. Shot. Seriously, who are these people? Just how wasteful can one person be? OH my word. Ridiculous. If he's got that much money to waste, he could just buy ME an electric toothbrush, cause Nathan ain't got enough money to be buying himself one! He's gotta manually go up and down on his pearly whites (well, actually coffee tainted whites.) Geesh! - Nathan's rant, over and out.

what happened to adam's hair?!

Oh, and yeah, you can read about Adam and Eric's latest (and second!) trip to the White House, too!

sunshine cleaning

method has a big new contest, and you get the chance to win all kinds of goodies! (And who couldn't use goodies? Especially when method's involved! Yeah, I knew you couldn't resist!) Here are all the details:

"Method has partnered with the indie film Sunshine Cleaning, launching in select cities this week. As part of the partnership, everyone who attends the premieres will receive a full size pack of all purpose cleaning wipes, a coupon for $1 off any method product, and a method house booklet! The promotion is taking place in 10 major markets across the U.S. this week." Head on over to method's own people against dirty blog to view the list of cities premiering the movie! You can view the trailer below:



method made sure to have fun at the premiere, as well! Rachel from their PR team attended the red carpet premiere last Monday night in Hollywood. method's "cleaning crew" gave away more than 400 Plastic Bag Rehab totes filled with products to the VIP attendees, which included the film's stars - Oscar nominee Amy Adams, Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada), John Krasinski (The Office), and Mary Lynn Rajskub (24) walked away with bags as well! Very cool!

You can sign up for your chance to win a grand prize featuring a method tote bag filled with five method cleaning products, a Sunshine Cleaning movie soundtrack and movie poster, a pen, and a cleaning caddy at these following sites (PS - some of the contests are giving away slightly different items (including iPods!) so be sure to read the details at each site!):

+ The Imperfect Parent
+ The Boston Herald
+ dfw.com
+ Main Street Mom
+ LA Weekly
+ Cinematical

gone, gunther, gone

Sad news from method's official people against dirty blog!

"With tears in our eyes and many, many pints of Guinness in our system we’re saying goodbye today to Gunther Lie, our truly beloved first employee. It’s impossible to capture on this blog (which, by the way, Gunther created) his incredible contributions to method’s success over these past seven years, but it would be a crime not to try.

A childhood friend of our founders, Gunther (also known as Thunder) was first brought into the method family as a part-time helper, and spent his first months here driving from store to store making sure our products looked perfect on shelf. In the years since, there is virtually no job Gunther hasn’t done, from IT Director to Director of Business Development; from Brand Manager to his current role as Director of Interactive. He’s created products, molded brands, brought us into new markets and, of course, built this beautiful website (if you have any complaints we’ll be sure to keep forwarding them to his personal email address). He’s touched on every part of our business, and has shown incredible MacGyverism in every role.

And as much as he’s been a vital part of our business these past seven years, he’s been even more influential in creating the method culture that we all love. Gunther was the guy who hosted the after-parties in his hotel room after our annual party. He began the highly competitive “Who wore it best?” battles within the office. He sent Drummond, our Canadian Greenskeeper, a mock deportation letter from the US Government. He soaked, folded and froze a coworker's entire wardrobe on a company trip to Lake Tahoe. He was always the first person to invite a new employee to lunch, and one of the last people standing at parties. His smile is infectious and his cheer inspiring, and we've been so blessed to have him here for these seven incredible years.

So we bid a fond farewell to Gunther, and wish him luck in wherever he goes next. His beautiful wife Nancy and their adorable daughter Amstel will surely keep him busy, but hopefully not so busy that he can't pay a visit to the method family every once in a while.

We're forever indebted to you, and will miss you immensely Thunder. And if you can't find any of your clothes tonight, check the freezer..."

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Head on over to read the top 10 things method will miss most about Gunther!

burnin' bright!

UPDATE Thanks to everyone who's sent in pics of the new candle stickers/paper wrap! (Especially Brit and Jamison!) I've, of course, gone crazy and purchased up a lavender + lemongrass candle to give a try (I'll give you my new burning review when I've had enough time to try it out!) It's burnin' as I type this! Until then, here are some crisp pics of the updated package! Let me know if you give them a try, and how the new wax burns for you!

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OK all you lusters! News, news! New method candles (same glass jar, new wax formula!) The paper wrap says: "Burns Long, Burns Evenly" as well as "Breathe Easy". And there's even a side sticker that says: "New Wax Formula, Now Burns Even Better"! Yes! I knew it! I just hope they make it to stores BEFORE the big Target $4.99 sale is over on March 30th; because so far Brit seems to be the only one lucky enough to have found these! They've made it to Target stores, and I'm so curious to give them a try and see how they work!

I guess method received many more complaints than they let on about the bad burning of the soy candle wax. But I'm really excited to see they've made some changes, and I so hope they burn just as great as previous versions! Cause I lust me some method candles, can I tell you! (And thank you method green chef Ryan Williams, for new and improved! Yay!)

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On other news: You might wanna go check out your local Big Lots one more time! Because I headed over to a couple near my home tonight, only a mere week after an earlier trip (don't ask, I know. I need help.) and they've gotten some NEW stuff in! Some of the items people have mentioned having popped up at their local stores, but not mine. And some I haven't heard anyone finding yet. They now have, get this people, the ENTIRE wet dryer sheet line. - Except... lavender + juniper. My favorite. WHAT is method trying to do to me? I mean, really? I don't even get it. They have them ALL! Water aloe + lily, go naked, sweet water, and nectarine blossom. Lots of them. But not ONE tiny box of lavender + juniper. The one scent I freak over! WHAT in the world? I've also found the holiday candles (hollyberry, cinnamon bark, and peppermint vanilla) now showing up at multiple Big Lots stores; as well as gingerbread + spice aroma pill refills, and water aloe + lily laundry detergent! So I'd do a second run!

IF ANYONE finds some lavender + juniper wet dryer sheets, PLEASE I'll do a trade or heck, I'll just pay you to buy and ship me some, if you'd be so kind! Thanks!

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And finally, I just had to pass this one on, I got an email from reader Jamison tonight, and I'm sure he won't mind me sharing this bit, cause it's very true (and just happened to me, as well!) He says: "OMG! So normally I go with the Go Naked wipes, simply because I like the scandalous name and people ask about them when they see them in my "Method Basket" on my counter. So I was at Target the other day and sadly, they were out of the Go Naked wipes. I thought I would go out on a limb, take a huge chance and try the Lavender wipes instead. They've sat in waiting for me under the sink, until today, when I ran out of my Go Naked wipes. Of course, they clean just like my old faithful Go Naked wipes, but wow, they smell AMAZING! I am in love with this scent. Absolutely love it. So, the moral of this rave: Be daring. Try new scents!"

Jamison, you're so right! In fact, the candle sale at Target got me to FINALLY pick up a vanilla apple candle and give it a try. I've smelled the scent on and off FOREVER, but never bought it. And I took a chance, and you know what, I really like it! I was rather surprised! So I think this is a great idea! If there is a method scent out there you simply haven't given a try, go on and do it! You might be amazed! Thanks Jamison for sharing!

things that make you go hmm...

UPDATE Haven't heard of anything official from method yet, but let's just keep speculating! reader Brit left a comment recently that got my mind to wondering:

"I was at a local Target last night... The sale candles that were there all said 'New wax formula, better burning' or something like that on the label."

SO, of course I went to two Targets to check this out, and what do you know, the current candle line does not say this anywhere on their packaging! SO, I'm beginning to think they're changing the wax formula, and these new candles will be hitting Targets very soon! Why soon? Because, this $4.99 candle sale goes until March 30th! Crazy! Why is it crazy, because right now, they barely have any candles. I've been to two stores, and there are like, four candles at each store.

SO, I'm thinking they're going to be getting a new shipment in soon, of the new wax formula! Otherwise, this sale blows, cause they have no stock (which is the grocery store sale mentality! Boo! (Buy one, get two free! And they never have anything in stock until the sale ends.) Time will tell, and again, I'll let you know as soon as I find out anything more. And Brit, if you can take a pic of this new packaging, if you bought one, send it my way! Thanks!

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Come on, you can admit it! Who gets that title reference? Huh, huh? We are children of the 80's! Ok! Flaunt it, baby!

But the title is rather literal tonight, as well! Because I started going "Hmm!" after I stopped screaming at my local Target this evening! Why, you ask? (Go on, ask. I'll wait... I'm waiting. Thank you!) Well, I rounded the corner to the Holy scent Grail, otherwise known as the wall o' method aroma care! And right there, in big huge letters on a sales card was "method candles $4.99!" WHA?! WHO?! HOW?! Have you EVER! No you haven't, trust me! $4.99 for all method candles! On sale, not a clearance! So run, run, run to your nearest Target already! In fact, mine was all cleaned out, except for lavender + lemongrass (snatched one!) and the discontinued pomegranate + tea, which, and how ironic is this; was $5.88. Ha ha! Cause it's clearanced, it wasn't on "sale." Odd!

BUT, this got me to thinking... and going Hmm... I've noticed, the pomegranate + tea and citrus cilantro candles were clearanced at some of the Target stores a while back (some have YET to hit the clearance.) BUT the remainder of those scent lines, still full price. And the candles in many of my Targets are not being replenished. Now, my first thought was "the new spring line is coming soon (I'm betting this month!) including Beach Sage... so perhaps they're just waiting for a big shipment." But now Target is putting ALL method's candles on a $4.99 (unheard of!) sale?

Here's MY guess (and it's just a guess, if I get more info. of COURSE you'll be the first to hear it!) My guess is, method is finally (hallelujah. Sorry Ryan!) redesigning the candles (since as you can see from our current poll on the right sidebar, is way winning in the "burn horrible" category) and Target is trying to move them all before the new design comes in! AGAIN, take that with a grain of salt, I'm seriously guessing here! But time shall tell!

Meanwhile, why are you still reading this? $4.99 candles at Target! Go! Get going! Get out of here! Move! And can you get me a slushy at the cafe, they're really tasty! Ok, well, I had to try. Anyway, go, get, candles!

method in a minute

Wow! Ok, while digging around Tom Fishburne's site (see the post below as well), I came upon this GREAT "method in a minute" (well, that's what I'm calling it! Cause it sorta is, method, in a minute!) video! It gives you a lot of insight into method! (Click on the lower right 'full screen' button to get the best view! Then click pause, and scroll through the images one at a time. That'll give you the best chance of taking it all in at your leisure!)

AND, and, I so did not know this until I just watched it this very minute, but method lust is in it! NO way! YES way! Yay! Now you, you, yes you... click play!

tom fishburne: back to school

Alright. Here's a very interesting video (I say that all the time, don't I? But hey, if it wasn't interesting, do you think I'd put it here on method lust?! Do you? Well, ok, I probably would. BUT, let's just go with the "he's telling the truth, it's interesting!" and be done with it, ok? If you happen to become uninterested, there's always that pause button!) coming from Tom Fishburne's site (who is currently senior marketing director of method, UK!) Now, I'm not the smartest fish on the planet, so I'll be upfront and let you know, some of what he's talking about... whoosh, over my head! BUT, if you take a moment to view this video, it gets really interesting in just how stores like Target (and Tesco for the UK folks) work! With brands you buy every day. It's rather eye-opening! So give it a gander! Here's his intro. from his site, Tom Fishburne Brand Camp cartoonist:

"Last summer, London Business School created a teaching case on our experience launching the method brand in the UK, as part of their entrepreneurship curriculum. It was great fun and culminated in my joining a class to hear 80 students debate all of our decisions.

I then went to the front of the class for a good grilling. I just got a copy of the video and here's a short snippet. It gives a little color to life in an entrepreneurial brand and some opinions on marketing in general."

new dish?

Might we be getting a new dish bottle? Sounds like a maybe from method's latest methodtweet (their twitter!):

An advocate twittered: "Any shot a redesign for the dish soap package is in the works? Love the product, hate the package. Gets so messy & hard to use."

"Once 1/2 empty the dried soap hardened at the top prevents soap from coming out. Also hard to squeeze as plastic crunches then."

to which method responded: "Hey, it's sarah from method. We totally feel you! and are working on changes as I type!"

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My only surprise is, method had apparently reworked the dish soap formula to solve this problem within the last couple of months, and had let us know (again via methodtweet, which you can regularly read on the right sidebar here on method lust!) that the new formula should already be in stores! But I guess now they've decided to try out a new bottle! Personally I've grown to really like the current bottle. At first it wasn't my fav, but I like it a lot now! I do wish the plastic was just a touch thicker, as it ends up getting dings and dents in it from squeezing (which is SO anal of me, I know! But I'm such a perfectionist, it's crazy! Ok, ok, I'll work on that one in therapy.)

greener (by) design

An article comes my way via method's people against dirty blog, from greener design! (Whew!)

The focus is on, oh let's just have method expert Julie Kim explain it (from method's official blog!)

"So if you’ve been keeping up with us, you know we recently became certified as a Cradle to Cradle business. This morning, one of our very own Greenskeepers, Drummond Lawson, spoke to GreenerDesign.com on the process and what’s involved."

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And here's the article from greenerdesign.com! !

"Method Earns Cradle to Cradle Certification for 20 Cleaning Products | By Jonathan Bardelline

Twenty cleaning products made by San Francisco-based Method have earned Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certification, a big step towards increasing the amount of C2C products in the consumer marketplace.

Method's achievement of C2C Silver certification for various varieties of liquid dish soap, hand wash, and foaming hand wash will put C2C products in many stores nationwide for the first time. And Method is in the process of certifying an additional 20 products.

While there are now 200 products that carry various levels of C2C certification, ranging from insulation and carpeting to chairs and whiteboards, the vast majority of them are not aimed at consumers, and the consumer product companies that have C2C certification only have it for a few items.

The C2C certification process, administered by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC), looks for environmentally safe materials, design for material reutilization (recycling, composting, etc.), use of renewable energy, water and energy efficiency, and company social responsibility practices.

"I think it's great for us to finally get some mainstream consumer products certified," said Jay Bolus, MBDC's manager of technical operations. "Now we're presented with a whole new opportunity to raise awareness in the consumer space."

Method has been working with MBDC since 2006, said Drummond Lawson, Method's Green Giant (a.k.a. environmental strategist), but has worked on certification for only the last year. Previously Method was using MBDC's services for product development, assessing materials and looking into manufacturing innovations.

Much of that research, such as finding out the best adhesives to use on packaging labels so that they don't muck up recycling systems, helped Method's products meet C2C standards, and the certification just confirms their status.

Since Method was founded in 2000, they've been selling home and personal cleaning products with a focus on non-toxic and biodegradable ingredients. All the materials inside of their products are listed on their website, and in some cases they go beyond just listing ingredients names and explain what the ingredients do.

All the certified products are packaged in bottles made of 100 percent recycled PET. Last year, Method switched the packaging for its surface cleaners, floor cleaners and specialty sprays to 100 percent recycled plastic, which it then rolled out to other products. "That was one of the Cradle to Cradle-inspired ideas we were chasing for a while," Lawson said.

The company also changed up its carbon offset program last year, taking money it typically spends on carbon offsets and instead using that money to help suppliers invest in energy efficient equipment and on-site renewable energy systems. Method continues to purchase carbon offsets to make up for emissions from manufacturing, employee commuting and corporate travel.

Method's own lack of on-site renewable energy is something that kept the products from receiving higher than Silver certification, but the company has a couple renewable pilot projects in the works, and is aiming to get its products to Gold or Platinum certification."

method lust market

UPDATE Had a problem with the Paypal donate button, but it should be shiny new and working right, now! Thanks!

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Ok, readers! People are screaming, yelling, crying, begging, and well, just peeing their pants (and really, didn't we learn that wasn't a good thing to do when we were three? Come on people, work with me!) over the discovery of peppermint vanilla aroma pills at Big Lots! So, never let it be said that your favorite blog site (ahem, that would be method lust, ok?) doesn't help you out! SO, here's the dish...

I would LUST just buying up all those peppermint vanilla pills and spreading them out to the masses via a big Mardi Gras parade float! But, have I mentioned before that ole' Nate is poor! Poor, poor, always and (hopefully not forever) poor! BUT there is something I can for you! I can be the middle man! (And not in the "I get 50% of the cut" middle man kind of guy, either! Yay!)

Here's how it goes. There are like a zillion packages of peppermint vanilla aroma pill refills (two packs, so for each $4.00 pack, you get two refills) at my three Big Lots. If you would like for me to pick some up for you, all you need to do is donate to method lust!

No wait! It's not a tit for tat thing! What I mean is, you see that donate button on the right sidebar? Ok, it's for donating to ole' method lust! BUT, it doesn't get used much. Ha ha! So, let's dust it off, and use it for a whole 'nother purpose!

(I'm gonna try to make this as easy as possible.) You decide how many peppermint vanilla aroma pill refill packs (2 in each pack) you want at $4.40 each (tax included in that total.) Then add $2.00 for shipping supplies (I'll have to buy a box, definitely use some packing material, and tape it all up.) total it all up, and then click on that donate button, AND list it (you can add a message to the donation) as your peppermint vanilla aroma pill purchase, letting me know how many you're buying, and your mailing and email address. Easy so far, right?

I'll pack it all up, take it to the post office, have it weighed, and THEN get the shipping charge to you. Which you can then also pay via the Donate/Paypal button. I wish I had an easier way to do this part, but I don't really want to charge a flat fee, as someone might buy ten boxes, while someone else might buy two. And really, it's a snap to pay via Paypal!

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So, what do you think? I'm just tryin' to help all you peppermint vanilla lusters out there, and thought this might be a great idea! I was thinking also, recently, how the method market isn't really cutting it. (sniff sniff) but wondered if this might be a better way for the market to go. What if everyone put in their finds at local stores (especially Big Lots, etc. for discontinued product), and people could purchase them through other readers via Paypal, etc. and the method market? It's a thought! Let me know if you like the idea!

contest winner!

And the winner of "the house that method cleans" contest is... (big drum roll!)...

method lust reader Karin! Congratulations Karin! I'll get an email out to you soon, so I can get your mailing information! You've won a goody box (is it goody, or goodie? I can't decide!) of method products, including the peppermint vanilla aroma stick set! Yay!

And THANKS so much to everyone for entering, and for those that took the time to take pics of their home for this contest! I'll be posting up the house pic entries very soon, and I have a couple new advocate spotlights now! And for all your non-entry readers, well, shame on you! You could have won method stuff! For shame, for shame! (Hey, I can't end a post without some sort of guilt trip, now can I? But hey, you can enter the next contest, and redeem yourself!) Once I send out Karin her package, and she's had time to receive it, I'll reveal what all she won!

uhm...

So while checking out the last Big Lots in my local area (or the last one I can find, darn it! I'll find you, if you're hiding!) I stumbled upon, oh my word, cinnamon bark, hollyberry, and peppermint vanilla candles! Yes! I was so surprised! (And I did forget to mention something else reader Brit had also found, which was a package set in either cucumber, or lavender (though I've only found the cucumber ones) of dish soap, hand wash, wipes, and multisurface spray cleaner. They used to have these as "college kits" at Target! They come in a wire basket, as well! AND, I found gingerbread + spice candles, too! In the new glass jars, and the old school ceramic ones.) ANYWAY, I got SO excited at my newest method find (me likey some candles!) that I suddenly came to a sobering notion:

"If method products were a movie star, I'd have a restraining order against me."

Yes, yes, it's seriously true. How about you?

apple of my eye

As if we actually needed one more reason to love Apple and it's amazing product line (school yard diss of the day: "Apples rock, PC's suck!"), not only are they going green with their notebooks and packaging, but now it's NO more plastic bags! Yes!

"In its latest effort to positively impact the environment, Apple's retail stores have initiated a new "no plastic bags" policy to cut back on the amount of unnecessary packaging it dumps in the hands of shoppers.

Apple store visitors who make more than handful of purchases in the store are offered assistance to their car or the option of leaving their items at the store while they continue shopping, in the case of retail outlets located in a mall.

The move reflects the company's efforts to push the envelope in going green, a central feature of both its advertising and product design. The company was among the first to reduce the size of its software packaging and has developed some of the slimmest boxes of any consumer electronics maker. It has also shunned plastic optical media in favor of electronic distribution from iTunes sales to web-based video distribution in iLife and MobileMe.

Getting rid of plastic bags is the next step. The city and county of San Francisco banned plastic shopping bags in grocery stores a year ago, and a variety of US cities have expressed interest in following suit including Austin, Texas; Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Oregon; and Phoenix, Arizona.

San Francisco now has 5 million fewer of the difficult to recycle plastic bags per month hitting its landfills. Internationally, Paris and London have since enacted similar bans. In Ireland and Germany, shoppers pay a recycling fee for plastic bags, prompting many shoppers to bring their own baskets or carts."
- Appleinsider.com

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Too cool! Papa so needs a new iPod! And ugh, everytime I read this line (in so many environmental articles focusing on plastic bags) "...a variety of US cities have expressed interest in following suit...(in banning plastic bags)" WHAT is the hold up? I swear, get on with it already! I mean, it just grates on my nerves when it takes mankind so long to just do something. Plastic bags = bad = ban = done! Move on, next item. Grr. Rant over.

new (old) finds!

Well, well! Check out my latest finds on today's road trip to Big Lots! I wasn't really expecting anything to pop up (other than the old packaging wipes reader Jamison had mentioned earlier last week.) But there was a slew of new stuff!

I picked up some method free + clear laundry detergent (they've had the sweet water for a while now, but I'm so excited they got the free + clear!) $3.00 people! Crazy! And I snatched up a refill bag of ginger yuzu hand wash (can you believe this is my FIRST ever bag hand wash refill purchase?! I know, I know... well, wait, I did purchase some of the hard bottle refills a zillion years ago, so does that count? Eh. Who knows!) $2.50 (for about three bottles worth of hand wash refill!) And they had, oh my I squealed like a pig (but in a good way!) when I saw them, nectarine blossom wet dryer sheets! OH YES! I grabbed up some of those, as well! $2.50! I also decided to buy up the last remaining fig candles they had sitting around, since those suckers are about gone (they've been at my Big Lots forever, and I'll buy a couple at a time, but I'm not rich, so I couldn't just pick up every last one. But there were a few remaining today, and I knew that was going to be it for my fig lust, so I caved!)

BUT, they have a ton more stuff I didn't get. Sweet water hand wash bottles ($2.00), peppermint vanilla plug-in double pack refills ($4.00), hollyberry aroma sticks ($6.00), hollyberry aroma rings ($4.00), beach sage plug-in refills ($2.50), cut grass plug-in + refill pack ($4.00), steel for real wipes ($2.50), and pink grapefruit wipes (and Jamison said his has wood for good, and granite wipes. I didn't see them at the three (yes, YES, three! LOL) stores I went to. They ALL had exactly the same thing.) And they had a ZILLION peppermint vanilla plug-in refills. I mean, a ZILLION.

One day I'm gonna have to sit down with those method folks and get the lowdown on how this stuff gets divided out? I'm just really curious. I was DYING to find some lavender + lemongrass wet dryer sheets, but NO one had anything but about five boxes at each store of the nectarine blossom. What's up with that? Cause the whole line was discontinued. OH, my lavender + lemongrass dryer sheets, I LUST you so! And I'm down to my last box. Sniff. I guess it'll just be nectarine blossom from here on out. AND, why a zillion peppermint vanilla refills, but no hollyberry or cinnamon bark ones? (Cause these were from that year's line.) Isn't that odd?

Let me know if you find anything different at your local Big Lots! And happy hunting!

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PS - LOL, and method luster Brit just posted this in the comments (I hadn't noticed! She beat me to it!) "I just got a nice Method find at a Big Lots is Mass. Everything from soap, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, dish soap, candles, aroma pills, wipes and stuff like that. Does Method make, or use to make, Nectarine Blossom laundry soap? I found the dryer sheets, now I want the soap lol."

Cool! What scent dish soap and candles did you find? The old ceramic candles? I'm curious! We didn't get any new candles in at my store, as the two I picked up have been there forever. And sadly, no, method never made nectarine blossom laundry soap. Just dryer sheets! But don't they rock! Mmm...

eco perils

Hey everyone! How about some really happy environmental news to start your day off, here at method lust! And by really happy, I mean that in an extremely sarcastic way. In fact, these two items are downright scary. (Well, ok, the hunting one, not so much. Moreso another case of a group of people that perhaps aren't aware of the damage they're doing to their own environmental surroundings. But the India story, oh. my. word.) So, hey, enjoy! And don't forget to call a friend after reading this first story. Trust me, you'll need a hug. Just so you'll be able to feel some hope. That this world will wake up and realize just WHAT a mess we're making of it. Ok? Ok! (And PS - the guy gets a little out there with his "vision of the future" BUT it really does make a lot of sense if you break it down, and think it over. It's just really so scary. Have I mentioned that, like, fifty times by now?)

"Hydro-Pharmacology | BLDG BLOG

Medical researchers have found that some of the streams, rivers, and groundwater in Patancheru, India, are really "a soup of 21 different active pharmaceutical ingredients, used in generics for treatment of hypertension, heart disease, chronic liver ailments, depression, gonorrhea, ulcers and other ailments. Half of the drugs measured at the highest levels of pharmaceuticals ever detected in the environment."

"If you just swallow a few gasps of water," a German doctor said to MSNBC, "you're treated for everything. The question is for how long?" Indeed, all of this has the unsurprising effect that "some of India's poor are unwittingly consuming an array of chemicals that may be harmful, and could lead to the proliferation of drug-resistant bacteria." For instance, amongst this mix are high levels of Ciproflaxin.

The more bacteria is exposed to a drug, the more likely that bacteria will mutate in a way that renders the drug ineffective. Such resistant bacteria can then possibly infect others who spread the bugs as they travel. Ciprofloxacin was once considered a powerful antibiotic of last resort, used to treat especially tenacious infections. But in recent years many bacteria have developed resistance to the drug, leaving it significantly less effective.

With sources of freshwater all over the world now showing at least trace signs of pharmaceutical pollution, is some kind of global superbug brewing?

Aside from the very real health implications of this story, though, I'm fascinated by these drugs' effect on the landscape; in other words, millions of pounds' worth of loose pharmaceuticals will surely someday form a detectable layer in the soil, given time.

Pharmaco-geological formations take shape in the sand, compacted into strange new types of stone. The locals dissolve slices of it in their tea, as it's used to treat illnesses.

Thousands of years pass; then millions. The rocks you're looking at in the wall of that canyon are made of lithified Prozac. Tylenol. A deltaic geography of sedimentary Tamiflu is eventually mined as a building material; temples of this unusually smooth rock are built; visits to them are believed to help prevent infection.

And how will this affect plants? If river grasses and trees begin to accumulate this novel class of mineral, taking pharmaceutical-rich waters up into their roots, will it change the way they grow? - Day of the Triffids.

"We don't have any other source, so we're drinking it," a local woman named R. Durgamma explains to MSNBC. In a particularly chilling detail that reveals how those in power clearly know what is happening there, she adds: "When the local leaders come, we offer them water and they won't take it."

...And then we have a great little story on hunting.

"Should hunters switch to 'green' bullets? | By John D. Sutter, CNN

Three years ago, Phillip Loughlin made a choice he knew would brand him as an outsider with many of his fellow hunters: He decided to shoot "green" bullets.

"It made sense," Loughlin said of his switch to more environmentally friendly ammo, which doesn't contain lead. "I believe that we need to do a little bit to take care of the rest of the habitat and the environment -- not just what we want to shoot out of it."

Lead, a toxic metal that can lower the IQs of children, is the essential element in most ammunition on the market today.

But greener alternatives are gaining visibility -- and stirring controversy -- as some hunters, scientists, environmentalists and public health officials worry about lead ammunition's threat to the environment and public health.

Hunting groups oppose limits on lead ammunition, saying there's no risk and alternatives are too expensive.

The scope of the trend is difficult to measure. Americans spent an estimated $1.08 billion on ammunition in fiscal year 2008, according to tax reports from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. But the bureau does not track ammunition sales by type.

Industry groups are tight-lipped about their sales figures. Manufacturers contacted by CNN declined to release specific numbers.

Barnes Bullets, which manufactures copper bullets because, the company says, they perform better than lead, is seeing increased interest in its non-lead products, said Jessica Brooks, the Utah company's spokeswoman.

Loughlin, of Union City, California, has noticed new manufacturers jumping into the green bullet game.

"They're definitely coming out. Winchester and Remington, all the big-name ammo makers are loading green ammunition now," he said.

Some firing ranges are banning lead for safety reasons. Lead bullets contaminate military training grounds across the country and are the subjects of many environmental cleanups.

California and other state governments have taken up lead bullets as a matter of policy. They worry that lead from the bullets contaminates ecosystems and could affect people.

Last year, California banned lead bullets in the chunk of the state that makes up the endangered California condor's habitat. The large birds are known to feed on scraps of meat left behind by hunters. Those scraps sometimes contain pieces of lead bullets, and lead poisoning is thought to be a contributor to condor deaths.

Arizona, another condor state, gives out coupons so hunters can buy green ammunition. Utah may soon follow suit.

In North Dakota, a hunter has raised concerns about lead's potential impact on humans.

Dr. William Cornatzer, a dermatologist and falconer, saw a presentation about the potential dangers of lead at a board meeting of the Peregrine Fund, a group devoted to conserving birds of prey. He decided to collect and test venison samples that were going to be donated to a local program for the hungry. About half of the 100 samples -- all shot by hunters -- tested positive for lead, he said. Food banks and shelters pulled the meat from their shelves after the report.

"When we did this, I about fell out of my shoes," he said. "The scary thing is these fragments are almost like dust in the meat. They're not like metal fragments you would feel when you bite down."

States in the area started investigating the issue after Cornatzer's findings.

Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the North Dakota Department of Health ran a test to find out the health effects of lead-shot game. The agency compared blood-lead levels of people who regularly eat meat shot with lead bullets with the levels of those who don't eat much wild game."

Head here to read the rest of the article.

Now, go hug a friend. Or two.

what next?

I did this many months ago (and a FEW of you responded. But since the rest of you are just slackers! I thought I'd give it another go-around! Oh, ok, I'll play nice, I promise! No, no! Of course I don't have my fingers crossed behind me back. Why, ahem, I mean, why would I do that? No, never. Nah. Not me. Uh-uh.) So, method, yes THAT method, wants your help!

Really, my help? You say! Yes, yes they do! They have a question for you! And they're serious! (And if you don't think they read ole' method lust, OH, but you'd be so very, very, with a cherry wrong! Trust me!) Their question comes from their Facebook page:

"what's the next product method should make? - We get new requests every day and many of them inspire what products we decide to launch next. What product would YOU most like to see method make?"

Now, I KNOW you've got lots of dream method products you'd LUST to see made! So go on, share! Comment away here on method lust! And know, without a doubt, method will read them! (And you never know, the very next method product you see pop up on shelves might just be one you inspired them to make! So don't be shy!)

Here are some suggestions that have been mentioned so far:

+ Car cleaning products
+ Fabric spray
+ Dishwasher rinse aid
+ Cleaning concentrate (just add water!)
+ Linen water
+ Carpet cleaner/powder
+ Le Scrub for the kitchen (appropriately scented)
+ Car air fresheners
+ Environmentally friendly sponges/paper towels
+ Personal fragrance body spray
+ New omop and multisurface spray scents
+ Hand moisturizing lotions/cream with a pump
+ Deodorant (and additional body line products)
+ Environmentally friendly dry cleaner (like Dryel)

+ Your turn! Comment away!

clean sweeps!

A couple items of quick interest for all you lusters!

+ Melissa let me know that drugstore.com is having a sale on method's squeaky green baby line!

"Thought you might be interested to know that drugstore.com is currently having a sale on Method baby products - buy one get one free! I picked up two of the Rice Milk & Mallow washes, I've been waiting for them to go on sale but they never seem to, so I jumped on this." (FYI - It appears the sale is only good on the rice milk + mallow scent.)

PS - She's also started a green blog, so I thought I'd give it a quick shout out! You can check it out at Thrifty In Green!

+ method lust reader Jamison found some new goodies at his local Big Lots recently!

"...It appears that Big Lots has a plethora of the Wood For Good, Go Naked and Granite wipes in the old containers for $2.50. THAT'S A STEAL!"

method men

Make sure you read this article from the magazine, 944. This comes from the January 2009 issue! Enjoy!

"Method men
by Max Padilla | photography by Chris Andre

Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan are ready to clean house. Lowry and Ryan, founders of Method, had compelling reasons to develop environmentally sound, affordable and stylish home care products. Lowry was a Stanford-educated climate scientist, who witnessed up close the environmental damage caused by America’s addiction to petroleum and toxic chemicals. Ryan was a “mad” advertising man who realized that a generation of Americans approached house cleaning differently than the past. Nine years ago Lowry and Ryan joined forces to launch a company that influenced how an overlooked industry — household cleaners — made its products more green and user-friendly. And the Method guys did it by showing how cleaning a house can be fun — with ads showing people doing the chore naked and an interactive site populated by legions of Method addicts. Little did they know they would spawn a trend that’s got all the mainstream cleaners going green.

944: how did attitudes about cleaning change?
ERIC RYAN: People don’t deep clean their home once a week like they used to; most of the cleaning now is wiping down counters before and after a meal. Cleaning is more integrated into our daily life, blurring the lines between home care and personal care. We wanted to create cleaning products that could be beautiful enough to leave on a counter. But if it’s going to be beautiful on the outside, it has to be beautiful on the inside — non-toxic with premium fragrances.

944: What did you learn as a climate scientist about household cleaning products?
ADAM LOWRY: The products were toxic to people and environmentally damaging, and really didn’t need to be. Companies were using the cheapest available ingredients to get the job done and not considering the human health or environmental impact of those choices. Solvents in cleaning products [the alcohol-y kind of smell] cause respiratory inflammation. Surfactants in detergents are very toxic to fish and humans. If you are using chemicals harsh enough that you have to use rubber gloves, what is this doing to the world out there?

944: Are the fragrances in most household cleaners harmful?
AL: Pine. There’s nothing fresh about it. Pine scents have this chemical called terpene that reacts to ozone in the air — probably not stuff you want to be breathing too much of.
ER: Does anyone even know what a Tahitian waterfall or a mountain fresh spring smells like? We try to use fragrances true to nature. Our lavender smell is true lavender.

944: did any product change the home care industry?
ER: We launched the first ever triple-concentrated laundry detergent. It uses one-third detergent for the same amount of laundry as traditional laundry detergent. [Manufacturers], to communicate better value, were making laundry jugs bigger and bigger — filling detergent with more water, which was unnecessary. We cut the size and it caught on. And in three years the industry has shifted to two or three times the level of concentration.

944: Your current bugbear about today’s cleaning products?
ER: You’re a good mom by spraying chemicals all over your house to kill bacteria. What gets you sick are not bacteria, but viruses and most antibacterial products can’t kill viruses. And we haven’t found a way to discriminate between good bacteria and bad bacteria.

944: Which Method products are you proud of?
ER: “Smarty Dish,” a mono-dose tablet for your automatic dishwasher. You don’t have to pour liquid, you just pop in a single pill. But what is really smart is the chemical inside of it. If you look at the leading cause of child poisonings in the home, it’s automatic dishwashing detergent — pretty nasty stuff not only from a health perspective, but also [for] what it does when the chemicals [bleach and phosphates] enters the water stream. We created the first non-toxic, phosphate-free, bleach-free detergent that really kicks ass and smells beautiful. "