I am confused...is anyone else?  

I'm all for greener living and saving the planet. I am somewhat confused right now though. All these companies and groups that have sprung up on the internet all seem to be pushing the exact same thing - more products.

If they're operating under the Mary Kay philosophy of "people have to buy soap so why not buy it from us" well that isn't exactly "green" thinking, is it?

If you are at the store and need hand soap, yes it's nice to be able to choose between a toxic, chemical laden brand and a all natural organic one.

I realize that it's all about supply and demand. Only in the case of eco products, it's more about demand, because the supply is definitely there. So the more people buy eco products, the more stores will carry them and the cost of the eco products will go down (hopefully).

And I don't have a problem choosing the eco products at the store when I can find them, I really don't.

I do have a problem with being bombarded with ads from the eco people telling me I need to go buy this picnic basket or that tablecloth simply because it's made from bamboo/organic cotton/recycled materials and it's free trade.

It is fantastic that companies are producing products made from recycled materials. On the other hand, they are simply just putting more product on the shelves. They're not edging any other company or product out, they're simply adding more STUFF.

If I look in my cupboard and see that we're now down to 2 drinking glasses or we have 3 plates instead of 4, then I make a trip to our local antique stores and I pick up drinking glasses or plates there. Yes I could run to Target or one of the Marts and buy a nice new set that has been packaged within an inch of it's life. But it's new. It's an energy hog. Even the stuff that has the eco/green tag on it is an energy hog compared to the stuff sitting at the antique store.

Ever read one of the green site's cleaning articles? They will go on and on about this new product or that magic soap and how they work just as well as your ajax but without the health hazards. These new products though, are expensive and can't be found in every store. A lot of times these new products don't work the way the label says they should. And at the very end of these articles, you'll find a teeny tiny paragraph telling you how to make your own cleaning solutions. Without much information or instruction.

Now if I owned Arm & Hammer or a vinegar company, I'd be waging a major advertising campaign. Yet I haven't seen one single commercial or read one advert.

So I am confused. I thought that being Earth friendly meant using as few products as possible. The eco sites are telling me that to be Earth friendly I have to buy as many of their products as possible.

Are we supposed to be Earth friendly or are we supposed to support the new crop of companies?