A friend decided she could help me understand how to go green by introducing me to a product she has started using: Seventh Generation non-toxic, no chlorine, no phosphates, lemon scent Automatic Dishwashing Gel.

She’s a good friend, and her heart was in the right place. She probably left out a few important details: you first need to wash the dishes and especially the silverware well before putting in your dishwasher. That way the product might work.

Wait–isn’t the dishwasher supposed to do that, and all I’m supposed to do is rinse or in some cases just load? People have been telling me for years that my fancy machine needs little effort from me. It knows what it’s supposed to do: clean.

Now those same people are probably wondering why I am washing everything thoroughly before loading the dishwasher. It’s simple: I like to unload the dishwasher, see my reflection in the sparkle of the silverware, and get on with my day. Now, I inspect each utensil carefully and look at the plates and glasses to see if they need round two. I am most likely using more water than ever before; definitely way more elbow grease. This is an example when going green costs significantly more.

So for the record, let me say, I tried. I gave the product a chance to prove me wrong. It failed miserably. My knives look terrible even when they appear to be clean. They have no shine. My plates are merely ok. Too much effort involved in this demonstration. I am a little sad for my friend who bought a case of this stuff, and for the environment as this Earth Week will have me go out and purchase my tried and true solution to a shine: Cascade. I apologize to everyone, but maybe by the Eighth Generation, I can try this again.

No good deed goes unpunished.