Clorox Green Works, Greenwashers or Environment Stewards
I have been reading a lot of mixed reviews of Clorox’s new “green works” line of household cleaners. For those of you who do not know, greenwashing according to wikipedia “is a term that is used to describe the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.” Chester’s Clean House writes that even 1% unnatural ingredients is too much. They have a strong argument, but I still think the cleaners are better for the environment and they don’t really cost me any extra to use them. Joel Makower discusses how Clorox is trying to become a green company, after many years as the “Bleach” company. TreeHugger seems to like green works and talks a lot about it’s Sierra Club endorsement. This all gets more interesting as I researched it more because it seems that Joel Makower is a consultant for Clorox and the Conservation Director of the Sierra Club is a TreeHugger blogger. So I am starting to wonder, is Clorox trying to buy a more green name? That sure sounds like greenwashing to me. Let me know what you think of this product and in your comments tell us if you are going to buy it?
Tags: Clorox, green advertising, Green Works, greenwashing
March 1st, 2008 at 6:14 pm
I purchased it, it works, but thanks for the info i will start to research more on it
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:12 am
If you’re interested in green cleaning products and soaps- Pure & Gentle is the only soap manufacturing company in the US that is EPA registered to be 100% carbon emission free. Each year you use the products, you’re removing 7.5 tons of carbon emmissions from the atmosphere. The nice thing is, they actually work better than anything else too.
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:00 am
Ooh, quite likely, you know the old saying..if smells like a fish it likely is a fish..or some such !
What is very interesting is that a company of that size will gear up to try and pull this off…clearly that is what the buying public likely want, so why not give it to them.
Unfortunate that they fail to bring integrity with what they are doing, makes us more cynical for the next one, who has the vital integrity to make the needed shift.
Hum, ho
March 4th, 2008 at 7:44 am
It is extremely important for consumers to look beyond the products and examine a company’s overall practices. If we want to lessen our impact on the planet, it doesn’t make sense to purchase products from a company who has long contributed to air pollution through the production of its bleach products. Just because Clorox is now making “green” products does not negate the fact that it still produces bleach on a massive scale. It is not as if the company stopped all bleach production and went “green.” Dioxin, a nasty chemical byproduct of the industrial production of bleach, threatens our environment and our health. Dioxin is a persistent organic pollutant (POP) that accumulates in our water, animals, and our own bodies. I encourage people to seek nontoxic alternatives from companies who are doing good things for the environment by reducing packaging, offsetting carbon emissions, and not poisoning our planet. Visit http://sustainyourhealth.net for nontoxic, earth-friendly cleaning products from a company that is certified climate neutral.
March 7th, 2008 at 9:12 am
You are talking about one of the Biggest Company’s that supplies household products to 3/4 of the United States or probably more of the US. Their products have been found by Fish and Game in our waterways. The most toxic substances to aquatic organisms are household bleach, all-purpose cleaners, laundry & dish detergent. We all know what they are doing!! They are jumping on the band wagon! It’s all about the money to them. They don’t care about you, me, our families, wildlife, our eco-system. What’s really sad is that people will beleive that because it say’s GREEN on the bottle then it must be non-toxic, safe, eco-friendly product and they will buy it!!
I can’t tell how it works because I will never buy it!! I already use a line of Non-Toxic, Safe, More Effective, Eco-friendly, Concentrated, Household Products that are also Cost Effective. That I love and that my family and I can trust!
March 11th, 2008 at 4:07 am
i am glad to notice that the brands which are trusted for all the wrong reasons are now waving the green flag.
perhaps the move is for equally doubtful reasons, but the effect is positive and far reaching. awareness of the need to respect nature cannot be underestimated.
all green products will benefit from attention and competition. i see hard-core toxic housewives reaching for the gentler cleaners, there is hope in mass marketing yet.
they who have spoiled earth and water by wrongful advertising can reverse the process by offering the right items. we’ll forgive them for profiting as soon as we can breathe better.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
In my home, I choose Ecover and Biokleen products, when necessary. My mother, however, has used the really nasty mainstream cleansers for a lifetime. I finally convinced her of the benefits of going green and she decided to try Clorox Green Works a few weeks ago. I just started some spring cleaning on her behalf using the Green Works line and I have to say I feel terrible — physically.
Although I’ve eaten a well-balanced breakfast and lunch today, although the rooms I cleaned were well-ventilated, and despite using only a moderate amount of these cleansers, I feel nauseated, shaky, weak, and woozy.
I suppose I could just happen to be coming down with something at the exact time I’m cleaning with these products; but I have to admit, I’m VERY skeptical about the actual ‘greenness’ of this line. After my experience, I’m weighing in on the side of “greenwashing”. I’ll be cleaning the rest of the house with baking soda, vinegar, salt, and water.
April 4th, 2008 at 3:10 am
My husband brought this product home last week instead of my usual product. I was at first dismayed, and then resolved to try it. It has a plesent scent and did a great job cleaning my stainless island counter. It is a great thing large corporations are recognizing the necessity to “clean” up their act, and I hope people will try these products before immediately becoming “green snobs”. There is no quicker way to stop environmental responsibility by companies than that the public does not take advantage of the new more environmently friendly products offered.
April 7th, 2008 at 5:03 am
I do agree that the company is putting a green blindfold on consumers, that they have come out with a whole product line that doesnt do a thing for our landfills and is misleading consumers.
However, with that said.
if people are buying it, that wouldnt normaly clean green, it is that much better for them, and the planet. Who knows, maybe those same people will take more steps to save the world.
so i gotta give clorax a kudos here.
April 11th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
It does seem like greenwashing, especially after hugely advertising that Clorox bought Burt’s Bees. But I’d prefer using the GreenWorks over the standard cleaner.
i tried using it, just to see how it was, and it didn’t make me want to choke on its fumes. That alone makes me feel better.
Even if this is a clever marketing scheme, it’ll give some attention to where it’s sorely needed.