Organic Solvents Are Just As Effective As Non-Organic Solvents

Prior to the industrial revolution, there was littledegreaser cut grease just as effectively as a
talk about preserving the environment. Antipathytoxic degreaser? The answer is a resounding yes,
was still felt for depleting woodland in the name ofbut we still tend to believe that, because grease is
commerce, but the argument for sparing foreststough to cut, we'll be able to cut it more
and other sylvan scenes usually fell to romanticefficiently if we use solvents that contain harsh
naturalists, and for obvious reasons. Industrychemicals.
hadn't progressed to the point where significantOne of the greatest testaments to the power of
damage to the environment was a foreseeableorganic degreasers and other organic solvents is
reality, which meant that a romantic appeal fortheir routine use in the industrial sector. From the
preserving nature was the strongest call to action.aeronautical industry to the construction industry,
Nowadays, of course, the terms are different.companies routinely use organic degreasers to
We discuss the environment scientifically and notdegrease everything from vehicle motors to
romantically, mentioning water toxicity, ozonepower tools. Degreasing mechanized parts is
depletion and global warming. With remarkableessential to maintaining the maintenance and
industry has come a remarkable tax on naturetherefore the safe use of complex machinery,
and it now falls to all of us to preserve thewhich means that, if organic degreasers were not
environment.as effective as toxic degreasers, companies
For most of us, supporting the environmentwhose quarterly profits depend on properly
occurs through our daily choices. Will we choosemaintained machinery would not use them.
to recycle and use non-toxic products or will weMost companies use organic solvents in
remain in old practices that we never imaginedcombination with other environmentally helpful
could compromise the environment in a significantpractices, such as recycling, water conservation
way? At first glance, the decision seems simplistic,and energy conservation, the goal being to arrive
but there are a variety of factors that keep usat a point of total environmental sustainability. But
from wholly supporting environmental change, onesuccessfully preserving the environment depends
of which is our perception of non-toxic productsas much on consumer practices as it does
versus traditional products. For example, if we useindustrial practices. Choosing an organic solvent
industrial degreasers that always deliver greatover a toxic solvent might seem like a small
results; we naturally tend to question the efficacymeasure, but the cumulative effects of this
of industrial organic degreasers, even whenchoice can mean the difference between low air
studies show that organic industrial degreasers areand water quality and high air and water quality.
as effective as non-organic degreasers.Unlike two centuries ago, supporting the
Part of this phenomenon lies in the perceptionenvironment is much more than an idealistic
that, because organic solvents are not harmful,proposition; it's a decision that brings tangible
they are therefore less powerful or "softer" thanresults.
traditional industrial solvents. Can an organic