What happened to laundry detergent?

Who decided that all laundry detergents need to be liquid and sold in plastic containers? It just doesn't make sense! Liquids are heavier so these have to cost more to ship and the containers stick around forever in our waste stream and ultimately our oceans.

Reject products that include plastic waste where possible. This is an easy one to do. But not as easy as it should be. In my local Safeway only one "green" brand of detergent is stocked in powder form in a cardboard box and of course it is more expensive. Demand that your store carry powdered detergent.