http://www.care2.com/greenliving/clorox-adds-green-to-its-clean.html
Clorox adds green to its clean
By Care2 editorial staff
JANUARY 14, 2008—Historically, the words “green” and “Clorox” haven’t shared much time in the same sentence. That’s about to change as the bleach giant adds a new line of green household cleaning products, Green Works.
In doing so, Clorox becomes the first major consumer products brand to launch a mainstream green brand.
“We think we’ve set a new standard for what natural can and should be. But for some fragrance and color, our Green Works products are completely natural—the most natural cleaners on the market today,” Clorox said in its press release. “But we’re not satisfied with 99 percent, and we’re searching for good sources of natural fragrance and color so we can achieve our goal to deliver 100 percent natural cleaning products.”
On its label, Green Works boasts the Sierra Club seal of approval.
“We are supporting Green Works in hopes that more people will have access to these kinds of products, some of which aren’t even available in the middle of the country,” Sierra Club spokeswoman Orli Cotel told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Joel Makower, executive editor of GreenBiz.com, who did some consulting work for Clorox on Green Works, told the Chronicle that this is a “watershed moment” for the environmental movement. “We finally have major consumer companies taking the green marketplace seriously, and not as an afterthought,” he said.
While Clorox Green Works is a better product for the environment, Care2’s Green Living expert Annie B. Bond points out that it’s not necessarily healthier for the people who use it.
“While Clorox has made great strides forward with this new line, unfortunately their reliance on ethanol is worrisome as it is a suspected lung carcinogen and respiratory toxicant,” she said. “It may not be polluting our ground water, but it carries a potential health risk for those who use it. And some of the products contain what appear to be synthetic fragrances, to which many are sensitive.”
In an effort to demonstrate that its commitment to greener, more natural products is not a greenwashing ploy in the wake of growing consumer consciousness about the environment, Clorox took the extra step of getting the product certified by the Design for the Environment program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, Clorox Green Works products come in recyclable containers and are not tested on animals.
Clorox also purchased Burt’s Bees, a company known for its natural beeswax beauty products and eco-friendly marketing, for $913 million in November. The company plans to turn Burt’s Bees into a mainstream American brand sold in big-box stores.
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27 comments
add your comment »Clorox and green are like military intelligence. Oxymorons? Shaklee's Basic H came out in 1960. What other product can make 48 gallons of heavy duty cleaning solution from just 1 pint of concentrate? Zillions of people have used it. Seventh Gen is not nearly as concentrated as the Basic-H. Send me a question if you like. Steve
check me out at shaklee.net/steve Better yet check out the GoShaklee.ca site and learn more
Hi Lisa!
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I liked the Burt's Bees products. I did not like hearing that Clorox bought them out.This is just another reason I like Melaleuca.
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Interesting to know that Burt's Bees is a Clorox product. I myself have been a soap maker for years and make all my beauty products too. I like to know what is in my stuff I put on my body as much as I put into it. I do use the green works for my home cleaning and I am glad there are more companies out there that are will to put out a green line . thanks
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To Holly S. Shaklee has a germicide wipes that you can use. Shaklee has been in the green cleaners for many years. Non-toxic and biodegradable and they do not test on animals. Check out the web site at www.shaklee.net/r-k-ingle and you will find that we are the official cleaner for Earth Day.
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Okay so Clorox is jumping on the bandwagon and adding their "green" label to a new product line; however, what about all of their other harmful products? And what about all of their animal testing practices? We as consumers can make a big statement by spending our money on those who have always had better interests at heart. Try Mrs. Meyers, Seventh Generation, and my favorite - Dr. Bronner's soaps... They have been "green" for years because they believed in it - not because it was marketable. And they don't test on animals. IMO only those that don't realize there are better choices would spend their money on Clorox-brand products. Now that I make my own cleaning products, I can't believe the markup on buying them from a store, save your money!
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Melaleuca has been in business for 23 yrs. They research and manufacture all of thier own products.. currenly over 400! check out my website wwww.sleveque.ParentsUnited.com
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I don't know this is the company that has been using chemical that cause neurotoxins and posion our homes. I am not willin g to trust them now or in the future.. It doesn't take too much to put "GREEN" on a label. I use and sell Melaleuca and I'am not willing to believe them.. sorry. Anyone who wants more info can e-mail me shelley46614@att.net
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A few notes-
1. The Clorox "green" products DO disinfect, but they use a lot of alcohol, which isn't nice to breathe.
2. Seventh Generation makes all of the MSDS information available for all of their products, so even though the ingredient list on the bottle does seem vague, you can find out what is in each product and feel good about it.
3. I hate that Clorox bought Burt's Bees, too- but even before the sellout, I was beginning to tire of Burt's Bees' 98% Natural, etc. on many of their products. If you add even 2% of something that is not natural, the product is no longer natural!
4. When in doubt, make your own cleaners using castile soap and water- add a little vinegar if you want to disinfect!
BE GREEN!
Melissa
Melissa Kaye
Owner, Healthy Homes Cleaning
Green Living Consultant
www.healthyhomescleaning.com
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Green Works does not disinfect.It says it on their website.I buy all of my cleaning products from Melaleuca.
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I am quite bitter about Clorox buying Burt's Bees and turning it into a mainstream, "big box" company. I was a loyal Burt's Bees lover way before eco-friendly things became cool. It was a small company with a very intimate feel, like it was a secret that only quirky, nature-loving people knew about. Now the packaging looks totally different and they've discontinued some old favorites and replaced them with more "marketable" items.
Very disheartening. I feel like I lost a friend.
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