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Hunger is a widespread problem that is growing. One out of seven people are suffering from hunger. One third of the food we eat is wasted. 795 billion are affected by hunger. This issue may be overlooked now, but if it keeps growing this will be a tragedy in the future.

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World Hunger Statistics 2020 - Food Aid Foundation

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821 million people – one in nine – still go to bed on an empty stomach each night. Even more – one in three – suffer from some form of malnutrition.

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Marie, Adrien-Emmanuel. Feeding the hungry after the Lord Mayor’s Banquet Interior of Guildhall. 1882, oil on canvas, Private Collection, London, England.

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We can prevent World Hunger by empowering women, educating others, and reducing our food waste. If women were empowered, there could be less boundaries on women being agriculturalists, which could drop the overall world hunger percentage. Also, farmers need to be educated to create a more effective and sufficient food supply. Programs, such as Food for Training, have already started educating these disadvantaged nations. If everyone reduced their amount of food waste this could save a third of our food supply. This could feed about three billion more people. Organizations, such as Feedback, have already started to recycle produce to create free meals for many. Empowering women, education, and reducing food waste can help to end world hunger.

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The plight of world hunger is nothing new. On average, one in eight individuals go hungry every day. Currently, about 795 million people suffer from chronic hunger.

This is especially critical in developing countries. There, food productivity and sustainability are just one amongst a plethora of other issues, including overpopulation, civil conflict and lack of education.

However, while the effects of hunger are not limited by race, religion or country, the answer to ending the world's food shortage problem lies in many, perhaps unexpected places.
Women Empowerment
For instance, one such solution can be found in empowering women. Of the 600 million small farmers, herders and food providers in the world, half are women. However, this large fraction of food providers is hindered from producing adequate quotas due to cultural and gender boundaries.

Typically, women do not have access to education, ownership of land or livestock. They also receive less credit than their male counterparts. As a result, half of the world's food providers are unable or not producing nearly enough to sustain themselves, let alone the world's population.

If these restrictions on female agriculturists decreased, however, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) the number of hungry people in the world would drop 17 percent.
Education
Another solution to ending world hunger revolves around education. Countries in Africa and South America have fertile land, but with ignorant farmers, food production remains low. These uneducated agriculturists practice outdated farming techniques and in turn reap poor results.

But programs such as Food for Training projects, focus on educating food providers in developing nations. They can dramatically improve food production levels and encourage long term self-sustainability at very little cost.

Moreover, school meal projects also reduce hunger amongst children, who most heavily feel the effects of food shortages. In turn, the free or reduced meals schools provide encourage families to send their children to school, which supports education.
Reducing Food Waste
Lastly, a crucial part in reducing and eventually ending world hunger lies in ending global food waste. If the world were to reduce its food waste, a third of the world's entire food supply would be saved, which is enough to feed 3 billion people.

Ultimately, this would result in a food surplus that could sustain entire countries. However, food recycling projects and campaigns such as Feedback, which focuses on saving leftover produce and creating nutritious meals from marketable food scraps, help reduce hunger. This provides thousands of people around the world with free, nutritious meals.

World hunger has reduced significantly since the 1990's; however, it has since leveled in 2010. Strategies such as food waste reduction campaigns, education and discouraging gender inequality can make significant dents in the fight to end this battle.

- Jenna Salisbury

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Three Keys to Ending World Hunger Forever - BORGEN

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The plight of world hunger is nothing new. On average, one in eight individuals go hungry every day. Currently, about 795 million people suffer from chronic hunger. This is especially critical in developing countries. There, food productivity and sustainability are just one amongst a plethora of other issues, including overpopulation, civil conflict and lack of education.

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https://www.wfpusa.org/articles/why-global-food-security-act-important-fight-against-hunger/
In July of 2016, the House of Representatives passed the Global Food Security Act. This assures that food security on an international level has always been a priority for America’s Government. The act that was passed focuses on a couple things in specific. Improvement in agricultural development is one of the goals of this policy so more healthy food is produced for everyone to have access too. One of the most driving causes to hunger throughout the world is natural disasters. This act also helps support food for families in need of food after disasters causing the loss of shelter, water, money, and their stored food. As stated in the article, this act is not the solution to end World hunger but it is a big contribution to the problem for the United States alone.

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On July 6th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 1252, the Global Food Security Act (GFSA), by a vote of 369 to 53. Its passage signals a consequential bipartisan victory in the fight to end global hunger. GFSA reaffirms the U.S. Government's (USG) commitment to global food security as demonstrated over the last decade, and enshrines in law key U.S. international food aid and agricultural development initiatives.

In its broadest sense, the GFSA calls on the Administration to develop a 'whole-of government' strategy for its global food security programming - a strategy that is focused on women and children, agricultural value chains and trade, resilience building, and other measures that ultimately set countries on a path toward self-sufficiency and reduced reliance on food assistance. But the GFSA does more than that. It is important as both a symbolic gesture to the international community demonstrating USG commitment to food security and as a legal mechanism to institutionalize food security policy priorities for this and subsequent Administrations and Congresses. Specifically, it accomplishes three objectives:

First, from a global leadership perspective, the GFSA is a formal statement of the U.S.' continued commitment to global food security and is a timely example of bipartisan and bicameral Congressional cooperation. Importantly, the GFSA explicitly recognizes that international food security is in the economic and national security interests of the United States. Food security has been a policy priority of the USG for decades, and the GFSA represents a culmination of this focus in law. In the midst of often-cited gridlock in Congress, the GFSA shows the coming together of interests of a Democratic Administration and a Republican-controlled Congress. It sends a signal that no matter our ideological divisions, food security universally matters to the United States.

Second, the GFSA represents a whole-of-government approach to agricultural development and humanitarian relief that includes at least 11 USG departments and agencies. This important GFSA characteristic recognizes that international food security is inherently complex and multifaceted. It transcends sectors, requiring multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder responses - features that can and should be mirrored in policy design and governance. What this means in practice is that relevant agencies will be involved in government-wide GFSA monitoring and evaluation systems, as well as platforms designed to improve food security coordination and establish links to other relevant USG initiatives.

Third, from a technical perspective, the GFSA formally authorizes the continued use of International Development Assistance accounts by the President to administer cash-based food assistance in response to manmade and natural disasters. Since 2010, the USG has allocated around $800 million annually through the Emergency Food Security Program (EFSP), complimenting in-kind agricultural commodity food aid normally distributed by USAID. The GFSA also authorizes spending for Feed the Future activities - the Obama Administration's signature agriculture development initiative -which will preserve its impact for future Congresses and Administrations.

Through the combination of its formal authorizations and symbolic importance, food security advocacy groups have rightly heralded the GFSA as a landmark piece of legislation. The GFSA does not create or radically alter existing tools used to fight global hunger. Nevertheless, it does formalize the progress made over the past decade and the continuing success of programs it authorizes - like Feed the Future and EFSP - will depend on adequate funding and strong support by subsequent Administrations and Congresses. The GFSA on its own will not end global hunger, but it will greatly help facilitate that goal.

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Why the Global Food Security Act is Important in the Fight Against Hunger

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On July 6th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 1252, the Global Food Security Act (GFSA), by a vote of 369 to 53. Its passage signals a consequential bipartisan victory in the fight to end global hunger. GFSA reaffirms the U.S.

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Most of Christ’s life was helping those in need, specifically the poor who did not have access to food or healthy water. In today’s society, we need to learn from Jesus’ work and start taking action like we saw him do with all of Works of Mercy. By keeping Christ at the center of our life and following him, we can spread His love through our communities and our countries. Feeding the hungry and providing clean water to those who don’t have it is an excellent example of how Christ lives through us today. The world has come a long way in food and water security and it’s because of what Jesus taught us.

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In America there are some some organizations focused on feeding the hungry, and there have been policies set for this, but third world countries are also contributing. In other countries around the world, particularly struggling with these issues, there are polices regarding food and water for people. India has a legislated a national act which requires the government to provide grains, rice, and wheat to over 800 million people. This helps Indian farmers as well. This new legislation contributes to a safer climate, more financial stability, and most importantly food security for the people in this developing country. Other countries such as Kenya, Colombia, and Nigeria are also taking action by supporting new farming techniques to produce more healthy food through climate disasters and to tehcniques lacking hazards to the environement. If countries across the World continue to take major step like these, progression in hunger and thirst will start to stop being an issue.

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This is part of a series on the Global Goals for Sustainable Development, in collaboration with the Stockholm Resilience Centre. This article focuses on goal 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Problems can be complicated, but solutions must be simple if they are going to be embraced, implemented and solved.

No goal is more complicated, than the goal of sustainable development. This is reflected in the United Nations' SDGs, with its 17 goals and their 169 related targets. It is easy to feel overwhelmed. Many are already questioning whether such lofty ambitions can realistically be met. Even more worrying is our tendency to subdivide problems, put them in boxes and treat them independently of others - almost universally leading to even more problems.

How do we traverse and embrace this complexity but also identify practical interventions and approaches that ensure sustainable development?

One goal ( SDG2) centres on ending hunger through sustainable agriculture. The beauty of sustainable agriculture (with the emphasis truly on "sustainable") is that it intersects with multiple goals. For example, it can contribute to ending poverty (SDG1), ensuring availability and sustainable management of water (SDG6), promoting inclusive and sustainable growth (SDG8), taking action to combat climate change (SDG13), and many others. A single endeavour, sustainable agriculture, can help us embrace the complexity.

Let's take climate change, which is waging war on our food supply. In Colombia, the farmers that grow the beans for your morning cup of coffee fear they will go out of business as temperatures rise; already production is being hit. In East Africa, prolonged droughts are killing cattle that farmers rely on for nutritious milk, as well as an income. Every day these effects are plunging families further into hunger and poverty.

Climate-smart agriculture - we believe - is where investors will get the most bang for their sustainable development buck. This is a form of sustainable agriculture that gives attention to climate change adaptation and reducing agriculture's carbon footprint. If we enable rural farmers to innovate and use climate-smart practices, it's not only hunger and poverty that will decline. Economic growth increases. Jobs are created. And climate change's grip on our food supply will loosen. Each of these is a sustainable development goal in its own right - and investment in sustainable agriculture can reach them all. There are also SDGs for reducing inequality within and among countries (SDG10) and achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls (SDG5). For climate-smart agriculture to also contribute here, it must give attention to power, gender and social inclusion.
Source: Jakob Trollbäck Photo caption: India promotes climate resilience through its food security bill. Photo: ICRISAT.
Here are four countries that are working to climate-proof farmers' agriculture systems, putting them in line to target many sustainable development goals.

India's recent National Food Security Act will help 800 million people access publicly financed or subsidized food. Thanks to engagement by partners M.S. Swaminathan Foundation and Bioversity International, the government will distribute coarse grains, such as millet, sorghum and maize, in addition to the basic staples, rice and wheat. Coarse grains are highly nutritious and they are also highly resistant to climate-induced stresses such as drought and flood.

It is estimated that over 31 million Indian farmers grow these crops, and the inclusion of these crops in the law is likely to stimulate production, contributing both to climate adaptation and food security. Add to that the increased income the farmers that grow these crops will receive when the government buys their crops, and India can make progress in addressing the problems of hunger, poverty and climate change in one targeted intervention.
Photo caption: Farmers in Kenya are increasing dairy productivity - and reducing greenhouse gas emissions - by increasing their herd's protein consumption. Photo: C. Pye-Smith (ILRI).
The flip side of the climate change adaptation coin is reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that agriculture produces. The livestock sector is responsible for 14% of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, making it a key sector for action. In developing countries, reducing emissions makes sense only if food production is not compromised. In Kenya, the World Agroforestry Centre is helping farming households to produce more milk with fewer emissions, through training to improve livestock feeding practices.

Bunguey has been a dairy farmer for 40 years and he recently reduced his herd from 18 to five cows. These five cows receive protein-rich feed and now produce nine times as much milk as they did before. This means Bunguey's herd of five cows is twice as productive as his herd of 18.
Photo caption: Senegal shares approaches with Colombia for dealing with climate change in agriculture. Photo: J.L. Urrea (CCAFS).
Climate-smart actions such as this in the dairy sector in Kenya have huge potential. The Kenyan government estimates that these actions can be scaled up to reach 1.8 million households by 2018, decreasing the country's emissions by 3.3% of its 2010 emissions, while sustaining 180,000 jobs in the sector and improving smallholder incomes by $1,000-$2,000 a year. In addition to meeting goals on hunger and nutrition, poverty reduction and climate change, two additional SDGs are covered here: driving economic growth and creating decent jobs for all. Of the farmers involved, 25% were women and the next phase of the project will examine how to increase the participation of women, contributing to a third goal: SDG5 to empower women and girls.

Colombian farmers who used to enjoy reliable rainfall are increasingly taking a hit when extreme floods and droughts occur, wiping out the crops they rely on for cash and food. To help farmers adapt to these harsh conditions, a knowledge exchange with farmers in Senegal was facilitated by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture ( CIAT) and national partners in both countries. Senegalese farmers have a wealth of indigenous knowledge for coping with long droughts and have also been working in some regions with the national meteorological agency to develop more accurate and useful seasonal climate forecasts that can be disseminated across the country by radio and SMS.
Insurance can help smallholder farmers get back on their feet faster after floods, droughts and other severe weather events. Photo: N. Palmer (CIAT)
Inspired by Senegal's innovative system, a new collaboration was developed in Colombia between the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture, six National Growers Associations, the National Agricultural Research System, as well as local experts and non-governmental organizations. This partnership has focused on developing better climate and site-specific information that farmers can incorporate into their planning systems and strategies. Nearly 160,000 farmers are now receiving improved climate advice in Colombia. As a result, they are better equipped to make decisions about what to plant, when and where. In the medium term, the project is expected to reach over 1.5 million farmers. Given that 25% of farmers in Colombia are women, by giving them equitable access to climate information, SDG5 can also be tackled here.

In Nigeria, 14.5 million people are smallholder farmers. That is 14.5 million whose income will take a drastic hit when climate disasters strike. That is why the Nigerian government has pledged to insure these farmers against extreme weather events. Scientists at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society ( IRI) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center ( CIMMYT) are now working with Nigeria to formulate a four-year roadmap providing guidance for reaching the goal of nationwide smallholder coverage.

In India, a similar kind of large-scale programme is already in place and 22 million farmers are already covered with index-based weather insurance, which pays farmers automatically when determined weather events occur. This could be reaching a certain temperature for a sustained period of time, or reaching a certain level of rainfall. Using various scientific techniques to analyse crop-weather relationships, the CGIAR Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security ( CCAFS) developed new rainfall triggers in India that are specific to different regions and crops. Nearly 1 million farmers are now benefiting from better insurance products.
Author : Bruce Campbell is director of the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, research programme, a strategic collaboration between CGIAR and Future Earth Guest editor of this series is Owen Gaffney, Director, International Media and Strategy, Stockholm Resilience Centre and Future Earth Image: Farmers plant saplings in their rice field on the outskirts of the eastern Indian city of Ranchi July 20, 2009. REUTERS/Rajesh Kumar Sen
We urge countries and investors to recognize the power of financing agricultural research and development and ask them to work with farmers to find the long-term solutions. It is a smart choice that will contribute to many more SDGs than reducing hunger.

Have you read?
10 things to know about the Sustainable Development Goals
How can we eradicate poverty by 2030?
5 ways to improve health and well-being for all

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4 ways countries are successfully fighting hunger

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This is part of a series on the Global Goals for Sustainable Development, in collaboration with the Stockholm Resilience Centre. This article focuses on goal 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture Problems can be complicated, but solutions must be simple if they are going to be embraced, implemented and solved.

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The Safe Water Network is an innovation that promotes environmentally safe and clean water for all. They do this by having a model watershed for all to replicate that is clean and not over-taxed. They also make sure poverished communities are educated on how to be environmentally safe and create the best use for their water. Safe Water Network ensures all communities are are always checking and measuring their source of water for long term use. This organization is an innovation that is spreading and giving everyone clean water for generations to come.

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The Greater Accra area is located along the Gulf of Guinea and includes the district of Ga West. Ga West was once almost entirely rural, but the growth of the country's capitol has resulted in a significant population increase, posing infrastructure and resource challenges, including access to safe water.

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There are many organizations that provide free meals for the hungry, homeless, and those who are not able to afford food. These organizations help those who cannot provide for themselves or their families with food. Whether students in school or the homeless on the street, there are many options to find a free meal locally. It is crucial for everyone to have a at least one good meal a day. These organizations allow even those who are disadvantaged to be able to have proper nutrition.

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As a teacher, I am used to hearing the question "Miss Gillette, can I have two breakfasts?" from my first grade students. At our school, all children receive free lunch and breakfast. For many of my students, these are the only meals that they eat throughout the day, and they want to save some of the food to take home, where they aren't always sure they will be eating.

We all know what it feels like to be hungry: you can't concentrate and your hunger is what consumes your mind. Now imagine you are a child in a school trying to learn on an empty stomach. Not surprisingly, it can be difficult for them to engage in learning.

To address the problem of child hunger, most schools offer free and reduced-price meal programs to qualifying students. Although these programs exist, there are some barriers to their effectiveness. Some kids are hesitant to participate in the programs, feeling embarrassed that they are different from their peers. There can be a stigma attached to receiving free and reduced lunch, especially in the upper grades, when peer pressure can make kids reluctant to accepting free meals. In some cases, children may have to go to alternate locations in the school to receive a free meal, separating them from their peers.

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) provides a solution to child hunger at school and the stigma that comes along with not being able to afford to buy or bring lunch. It enables schools and school districts that have more than 40 percent of students automatically eligible for free meals because they have been identified by another public benefit program to provide free lunch and breakfast to all students. The program uses data from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to determine a school district's eligibility, instead of paperwork that can be cumbersome for both parents and administrators. By providing meals to all students free of charge, the program removes the uneasiness that can come with receiving these meals. Most importantly, it ensures that any child who is hungry is able to have a healthy meal without being singled out from their peers, setting them up for a more successful day of learning.

The Community Eligibility Program began in 2011, and expanded from eleven states to being available nationwide. In the 2014-2015 school year, nearly 14,000 schools in more than 2,000 local educational agencies (LEAs) and served more than 6.4 million children. The schools and districts that have taken advantage of the program have seen a 25 percent increase in breakfast participation and 13 percent increase in lunch participation by students.

The federal government's Food and Nutrition Service at the USDA wants to build on this significant response and increase the number of children who participate nationwide. There are certain districts that have not taken advantage of the program to the extent that they could. For example, in Hillsborough County, Florida where nearly 60 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, not a single school participated in the 2014-2015 school year. In fact, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' Community Eligibility Database, only 559 of more than 3,000 eligible schools in Florida participate. For schools in districts such as Hillsborough County, the CEP could be an incredible tool to reduce student hunger and push student success in the classroom. Further, it would reduce the administrative burden that parents, schools, and districts face when processing applications for free and reduced-price meals.

This year the deadline for applications to the Community Eligibility Program is August 31. The deadline was extended to ensure that schools and districts have sufficient time to apply for the program, and serve the maximum number of students possible.

As I saw in my classroom, when everyone gets free lunch and breakfast, students eat if they're hungry, and if not they don't. There is no embarrassment of leaving the room to eat elsewhere while your friends socialize and no differentiation between students who receive free lunch and those who don't. The Community Eligibility Program is a way to even the playing field and make sure that all kids who come to school are well fed, ready to learn and able to fully focus on school.

* This post was edited to make a correction at 3:54 PM on August 13, 2015. (Baltimore actually adopted community eligibility at the very end of the 2014-2015 school year. The CBPP database has not yet been updated to reflect this positive step in Baltimore.)"

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As a teacher, I am used to hearing the question "Miss Gillette, can I have two breakfasts?" from my first grade students. At our school, all children receive free lunch and breakfast.

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https://www.milacron.com/role-of-phosphates-in-]
The demand for healthy water, globally, is at a frightening high. People everyday contribute to this issue in various ways but a common product that is harming clean water is laundry detergent. Laundry detergent, along with other cleaners, contains phosphates which are horrible for the environment. The phosphates go into the environment threw sueage systems and eventually end up in water. The phosphates cause an outrageous amount of algae growth. The algae growth gets out of control and over time it starts to dive and rot. So much oxygen is used to decompose the dead algae so the fish don’t get enough oxygen. The oxygen depletion makes the water unhealthy for us to drink so less people get healthy, drinkable water. Currently there are no policies requiring eco-friendly laundry detergent, but hopefully in the near future there will be.

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- Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives.
Over the past couple decades, a plethora of eco-friendly laundry detergents have bubbled up out of the suds, promising to clean your clothes without harming the environment.

But with so many green labels promising plant-based this and carbon-offset that, it can be hard to separate facts from marketing-speak. That's why we cut through the greenwash and put eco-friendly detergents to the test at our laundry labs in Cambridge, MA.

We spent three weeks evaluating ten of the most popular soaps-from plant-based soap nuts to "hybrid" liquid detergents-on how well they remove stains, how affordable they are, how transparent they are about the ingredients they contain, and how many plant-based ingredients they include.

But before we get into the results, it's important to acknowledge that there's no such thing as a perfectly "green" detergent. For instance, the harvesting and processing of some plant-based ingredients has a greater overall carbon footprint than traditional, petroleum-derived alternatives. And some detergents may be all-natural, but don't get clothes very clean.

With those caveats in mind, here are the best eco-friendly detergents you can buy-and a few you should avoid.

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Laundry Detergent (Best Overall)

It turns out that Thelma A. Meyer-the real person behind Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day cleaning products-really knows her stuff. The liquid laundry detergent that bears her name is our overall favorite, because it cleans 96 percent as well as regular Tide, and 97 percent of its ingredients are derived from plants.

It's also more cost-effective than traditional detergent. Although it's more expensive per bottle, Mrs. Meyer's only costs 23 cents per load, while regular Tide is going to run you around 28 cents a load.

The only thing our testers didn't love about Mrs. Meyer's is the scent it left on laundry. Some of our reviewers were fans of the lemon verbena scent, but others thought it smelled like citrusy shampoo. You may prefer one of the seven other scents, but you won't find a perfume-free option.
Where to Buy:
Tide PurClean (Best Cleaning)

Tide PurClean is a brand-new detergent with a familiar name and a reduced environmental impact. It claims to clean as well as conventional Tide, and our tests proved that claim to be 100 percent true. In fact, it's far and away the best-cleaning eco-friendly detergent we tested.

However, there are two drawbacks: cost and content. We found a 32-load bottle of PurClean Walmart for $9.99, which means each load of laundry will cost you 32 cents-more than most of the other detergents we tested.

PurClean could also be described as a hybrid detergent-only 65 percent of its ingredients are plant-based, and some of the rest are petroleum-derived. Compared to Mrs. Meyers and Seventh Generation-each 97 percent plant-derived-it's less green. But if you don't want to sacrifice performance and want to do Mother Earth a small favor, PurClean is the best choice for clean laundry.
Where to Buy:
Method 8X Free & Clear Laundry Detergent

We really liked the no-mess bottle Method's ultra-concentrated detergent came in. You just aim the nozzle at your washer's detergent dispenser, press the pump four times, and you're good to go. By design, it keeps you from overusing detergent; that's good, because overused detrgent can build up on clothes and make colors look dingy.

In terms of stain removal, this ethanol-based detergent came in third. On the eco-friendliness front, 85 percent of the listed ingredients are plant-based and biodegradable. On the downside, Method is a little pricey at 30 cents a wash-higher than many leading detergents. If you're prone to using too much, however, the bottle's unique design may end up saving you money in the long run.
Where to Buy:
Method 4x Concentrated Laundry Detergent

If Method's 8X detergent is too expensive, the 4X formula might seem like a better idea. It's 30 percent cheaper, costing between 20-23 cents per load. But you'll lose the no mess pump bottle and some stain removal power. That's because the 8X primarily uses ethanol, while the less-concentrated 4X lists water as its first ingredient. This change in the formula translates to only a four percent difference in the amount of stains removed, but in the detergent world, it's a war of inches.

Even though a less-concentrated detergent wastes energy in the shipping process by moving water, at least 4X is somewhat environmentally sound. By our count, nearly all of the contents in the bottle are either biodegradable or plant derived. Even the container itself is made from 100 percent recycled plastic.
Where to Buy:
Common Good Bergamot

Common Good detergent is unique in that it relies on refill stations located throughout the country. This means you can reuse the recyclable bottle over and over again. The detergent itself is made from 100 percent biodegradable compounds.

On the cleaning front, Common Good was on the weaker side, leaving behind eight percent more stains than regular Tide. Also, at 35 cents a load, it's pretty expensive-especially if you have to go out of your way to refill it.
Where to Buy:
Seventh Generation Free & Clear Laundry Detergent

Seventh Generation is one of the most popular brands for eco-friendly products, also known for its tissues, paper towels, and diapers. In our testing, the company's Free and Clear detergent provided a comparable clean to conventional detergents. On top of that, it's popular for its lack of perfumes and dyes, and its many trusted certifications. It meets the EPA Safer Product Standard and is USDA certified to be 97 percent plant-based. It's even kosher.

But as powerful and eco-friendly as Free and Clear is, it's also pricier than the competition. We paid around $13 for 50 ounces, which works out to around 33 cents a wash. If you have sensitive skin or want an unscented option, it's still a good choice.
Where to Buy:
Green Works

Green Works is Clorox's foray into the eco-friendly detergent market. Among the big brand-name detergents we tested, Green Works was one of the most affordable-the bottle we tested cost about 19 cents a load. Not only is it inexpensive, but 96 percent of its formula is derived from what Clorox calls "natural sources" which it helpfully lists on its website.

That's great, but in our stain removal tests, Green Works landed right in the murky world between acceptable and better-than-average cleaning. Ultimately, we think its most compelling asset is its low price.
Where to Buy:
Biokleen Laundry Liquid

Biokleen touts its Citrus Essence Laundry Liquid as 100 percent plant-based, and its citrus-scent is like a tall glass of Florida orange juice. Most of our reviewers loved both the scent and the price: just 11 cents per load.

However, in our stain removal tests it couldn't stand up to the best "green" suds or traditional detergents that use harsher chemicals. It had a particularly tough time with grease stains. That being said, it's important to remember that most clothes just aren't that dirty. If you work in agriculture or construction, you might want to steer clear, but this could be a fine choice for folks who just need to spruce up their laundry and enjoy smelling like oranges.
Where to Buy:
GreenShield Organic

Every bottle of GreenShield laundry soap is stamped with a big USDA organic sticker, but that's about all that this one has going for it.

Stain removal left a lot to be desired, falling a full 10 percent behind conventional Tide. That's likely because GreenShield relies on soapberries rather than a synthetic surfactant. Our reviewers also agreed across the board that GreenShield has an off-putting scent. Overall, this product did not impress us.
Where to Buy:
Charlie's Soap

Charlie's soap-the only powdered detergent in our roundup-came third-to-last in the overall rankings. We think it's is a great alternative for cleaning clothes in the great outdoors-think extended camping trips-but far from the best bet for your laundry room.

At 20 cents a load, it wasn't the cheapest we tested, and it had real trouble removing any of the stains it faced. But to be fair, we skipped some of Charlie's more onerous suggestions, like pretreating laundry overnight with in a water-and-detergent-filled bucket.
Where to Buy:
Boulder Clean

Look at the ingredient list for Boulder Clean Natural Laundry Detergent and you'll see just ten items. It's made of things like citrus oil and salt. The only compound we found suspect was methylisothiazolinone, a synthetic preservative. While it's found in many mouthwashes and cosmetic products, there is a concern that it may lead to contact dermatitis in individuals who are allergic.

While Boulder Clean is weaker than regular Tide, at only 15 cents a wash it's way more cost effective. It's a good trade off since this detergent uses no artificial perfumes-it just smells refreshing.
Where to Buy:
Ecos Free & Clear (Avoid)

Although popular on Amazon, Ecos Free and Clear was the weakest of the liquid detergents we tested, struggling to remove every kind of stain. On the plus side, it contains coconut oil, so it smells pretty good.

But a good smell and built-in fabric softener weren't enough to win us over. Our verdict? Skip Ecos in favor of something else.
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Eco Nuts (Avoid)

Popularized on Shark Tank, Eco Nuts are about as natural as a detergent can be. Each box is full of dried soapberries, which contain a soap-like substance that foams up in the wash. They're also reusable and exceptionally affordable.

Unfortunately, they don't clean as well as other detergents, leaving 15% more stains behind than Tide. In fact, they were pretty much obliterated by all the other detergents we used.
Where to Buy:
How We Tested

To test stain removal, we pitted all detergents against standardized cloth test strips coated with carbon, body oils, blood, cocoa, and red wine. We put them through a Normal cycle in the Whirlpool WFW90HEFW front-load washer-along with eight pounds of towels, pillowcases, and sheets-closely following each manufacturer's instructions for a medium load.

After waiting 12 hours for the stain strips to dry in a dark room, we used a piece of lab equipment called a photospectrometer to determine exactly how much of each stain had been lifted.

For more information about our testing process, read our in-depth explainer.

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The best eco-friendly laundry detergents of 2017

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