Years ago, as a budding producer at the NOVA Science Series, I learned that carbon tetrachloride is a key chemical in the dry cleaning process. That fact has been lodged in my brain for nearly a quarter of a century. Not because I was so impressed by the tetrahedral configuration of this chemical or its magical cleaning properties. Quite the opposite. I was afraid of it. It is the reason I hand wash almost every delicate article of clothing I own. No matter the risk. No matter how many officious dry cleaning labels I confront. I have learned over the years that most fabrics can be delicately washed in cold water with a gentle soap. To avoid puckering or crimping delicate silks or blends thereof, I take care to not wring them dry but drape them, dripping, over a square-framed mesh net I purchased for this purpose. Recently, I almost broke protocol when faced with cleaning a beloved sweater from a friend that bears the label, Sleeping on Snow. Icy white beads and silk ribbon are intricately stitched along its border, carefully spaced apart to resemble a row of flowers. Did I want to take my chances and possibly destroy this work of art, this symbol of a deep and abiding friendship? Yes, I decided. Even though this article of clothing sparks joy in my life, I know the friendship can withstand the risk that I might damage its handiwork. Part of what pushed me to this place was reading an article by the BBC about the town of Kanpur in India which is poisoning itself from the chemicals it uses to create leather goods for worldwide consumption. The article was a larger piece about the pollution of the “mother” Ganges river which the new prime minister, Narenda Modi, vows to clean up. Four hundred and fifty million people contribute to the river’s pollution in the form of human waste, industrial pollutants, agricultural runoff and cremated bodies. It is an admirable goal on Modi’s part and one that must be tackled no matter how daunting. If I told you I’d rather be sleeping on snow —on pure white snow— that is the truth.