Ohhhhh Brother No. 11: Sudsrunners!

There was a time when in the South, there lived rumrunners and moonshiners who would deliver their illegal goods, evading the law when necessary and becoming like Robin Hood in the process. Well, it turns out those rumrunners and moonshiners have some young cousins coming of age in the Pacific Northwest, only they're not delivering illegal alcohol; it's illegal detergent. Yep. Meet the Sudsrunners!

For some time now, the state of Washington has tried to be more eco-friendly in regards to dishwashing, so somebody had the bright idea of writing up a bill banning the use of dishwater detergents made with phosphates, which passed and was signed into law, and will have become a statewide ban by July of next year. Sounds like a great idea.

Funny thing about the eco-friendly detergents, though; they don't seem to work as well as the phosphate-included detergents. Apparently, it has to do with the phosphates breaking down the grease and removing the stains on dirty dishes; something the eco-friendly detergents can't do.

And because residents of Spokane County, where the ban is currently in place, can't get the good detergents in their own county, they now have to resort to becoming (you guessed it) . . . sudsrunners! Since the county borders Idaho, where thankfully the eco-friendly geniuses haven't had their way (yet), residents simply drive there, purchase the suds, and come back home.

Now, suppressing the laughter inside me, I have to say this should serve as a good example of why we should think real hard and look at the facts before ever considering to support a ban like this. What is more important, saving Mother Nature from the evils of mankind or clean dishes? Well, while you're deciding, I'll close by saying Ohhhhh Brother! (Sounds of hysterical, hyena-sounding laughter)