Give a Man a Fish....Teach a Man to Fish

Swiffer Wet Jet kicks ass. It zips right over these white (yes...sheesh) tile floors.

I could do the same job with a damp terry cloth under the mop, and a spray bottle of cleaner. But the Swiffer, at the touch of a button, squirts cleaner in just the right spot with a little mechanical rrrrrrreeeeeeeeennnnnkkk! that never ceases to delight me. This is what I'm spending battery power for.

Here's the thing I wonder. I've fast forwarded through as many Swiffer commercials as the next person. I've never seen one that even mentions the one thing that truly makes Swiffer unique---that it cleans your floors without using a drop of water from your faucet.

Not a drop.

Now. Why, do you think, doesn't Procter and Gamble mention this fact?

After all (desert dweller here) it's sort of a big thing.

I'm guessing--- maybe P and G don't mention cleaning floors without water because most women's (c'mon. it just is.) perceptions of clean involves water, and lots of it.

For instance, "Surface Clean Only" on a child's fabric-covered toy will stop me from purchasing it. Mostly a toddler will first saturate a fabric toy in drool, then proceed to suction germs from deep within, possibly even pulling germs from other universes.

Surface, Schmerface.

(Alright. Hard surfaces are different. But humans tend to like to wash things in water.)

Already a lot of commonly fabric items have been replaced by paper, e.g. dinner napkins. They're more convenient and for restaurants, cheaper than washing fabric.

One day we Earthlings may have to rethink both fabric and paper because of lack of water.

Recycling takes loads of water. So do most manufacturing processes. What alternatives to paper and fabric, ones that don't require a lot of water to make, exist?

I wonder how much water is used to manufacture the Swiffer cleaning pads we throw away. Or what chemicals Swiffer cleaning pads leach into the groundwater. Or how long it takes one to disappear.

But then, there's the water-less cleaning.

Remember the sand showers in Tank Girl? I shudder. You know how much I love being underwater. I don't even like to think about it. Still...things change.

Possibly P &G is indeed concerned with water conservation. Perhaps the Swiffer's water saving nature is a secret. Perhaps they believe the average consumer's resistance to change would keep them from using the Swiffer, so the water wouldn't be conserved.

Nah. But even if that were the case, wouldn't it be more beneficial to change perceptions?

Which is more beneficial? Saving the water? Or avoiding the pads and batteries?

Rrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnkkkkk!

Ow. My brain.

*******

Meet Poppet Planet's Contributor Poppet.

It's not for sale. The only way to get one is to contribute something (for instance, at the moment, puzzle panels, or a P. O. T. t-shirt design, ) It comes with a little certificate of authenticity and a great deal of thanks. There will mostly always be projects going on. Your artist has a very large list and only two hands.

Tomorrow. Mission Hills Paperback Book Show. I'll take a camera. And a Poppet.

g'night