Green Clorox

Bleach company discovers its green gene

Posted by David Roberts at 4:07 PM on 14 Jan 2008

Read more about: business | green products | green cleaning

Joel Makower has a characteristically thorough and thoughtful look at Clorox's launch of their new "Green Works" line of cleaning products, in which he was peripherally involved (does the guy sleep?).

I'll admit, when I read these things, I feel positive and hopeful, and then I think, hm, how will some enviro manage to spin this as a hopelessly cynical greenwashing ploy from The Man? Sometimes I can predict in advance, sometimes I can't, but it's inevitable. Sigh.

Anyway, here's the uplifting conclusion:

But there's a potentially bigger story here. Clorox -- a 95-year-old, relatively stodgy company -- seems to have discovered its green gene. CEO Knauss has identified sustainability as one of three core consumer trends with which he wants to align Clorox products. The combination of Green Works, Burt's Bees, and Brita give it a toehold in that market space, a foundation on which it can build more offerings. Already, additions to the Green Works line are being planned.

All of which has invigorated the company, says Buttimer, a thirtysomething mother of two who has become the corporate face of Green Works. "I can't keep my calendar clear of associate marketing managers, our entry-level positioning and marketing people, asking, 'How do I work on this project?' Or people coming to me and announcing, 'My parents are members of Sierra Club.' Everyone wants to be involved."

Moreover, she adds, "What's really exciting is that we're building knowledge and confidence within the rest of the company that we can do the same things with a lot of our other product lines."

Every success story is another brick in the wall.

For story: Green Clorox
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You need a new gig

I'll admit, when I read these things, I feel positive and hopeful, and then I think, hm, how will some enviro manage to spin this as a hopelessly cynical greenwashing ploy from The Man? Sometimes I can predict in advance, sometimes I can't, but it's inevitable. Sigh.

I'll admit, when I read these things, I think "Gee, about time" and then I think, hm, how will some pundit use this to attack enviros, the very people whose insistence on environmental consciousness propelled this? Sometimes I can predict in advance -- no wait, pretty much all the time. Every positive step will be presented with a big "So there, now stop whining you big babies," no matter how otherwise odious the companies involved are.

I had to laugh at the description of chlorine atoms as benign simply because they come from table salt -- hey, uranium and arsine are totally 100% natural products too! Mmmm, mmm, good, right!

At some point, when an editor starts to dislike his audience enough, it's time for a break.

(I personally am pleased with this and provisionally say "Huzzah" -- but will first wait to see if they take the other products (which their own research admits work no better) -- off the market before cheering too loud. Also I'd look to see whether Clorox put any money into the Chlorine Chemistry Council, an industry group that formed to prevent any efforts to apply the precautionary principle to chlorine products ... but, oh, there I go again, not being happy enough.)

The 5% Project

by JMG at 7:36 PM on 14 Jan 2008

P.S. For Makower

Rebuts is not the same as refutes, even when you're writing about a paying client. Clorox's responses were offered as a refutation for environmentalists concerns about chlorine; they hardly qualify as a refutation.

The 5% Project

by JMG at 7:40 PM on 14 Jan 2008

It would be nice...

... if environmentalists would give corporations a little more positive feedback for their efforts. While deeply cynical, I have to applaud Clorox's efforts. When major brands start going green, skeptical Americans will stop laughing at environmentalists and start caring more about preserving our natural world. Just a theory.

by wiscidea at 9:20 PM on 14 Jan 2008

Both sides...

...that amongst the products natural ingredients, it includes coconut oil and ethanol. The company puts emphasis on it bein' natural, but there's not much emphasis on sustainability, or where these ingredients came from * cough * rainforset plantation * cough *.
Still, compared to much of the artificial stuff, it's probably much better in terms of disposal and waste.

Though...I wonder how much energy it took to harvest the ethanol and coconut oil as opposed to the energy used to make more "traditional" cleaning products? More, less, or 'bout the same?

Well, the Sierra Club seems to think it's okay at least, and they did certainly help Sierra out in exchange for their endorsement.

by Tasermons Partner at 9:52 PM on 14 Jan 2008

Urge Clorox to take-back/recycle Brita filters

Yep. Clorox is greening its image. But have you ever wondered what happens to all the used plastic Brita filter cartridges at the end of their lives?

Sorry that the following is a cut and paste from our web site. I have been blogging about this so much I just can't create new words each time!

If you lived in Europe, you could take that filter to a drop-off location where it would be sent back to Brita for recycling. Unfortunately, here in North America, we have no options for recycling our Brita cartridges at all. Each plastic cartridge is either landfilled or incinerated, adding to the toxic waste that is already choking our planet.

That's why I have signed on to the Take Back The Filter campaign (http://www.takebackthefilter.org) to urge The Clorox Company, which owns Brita in North America, to redesign their filters and provide a way for us to recycle them, as is done in Europe. I urge you to join me!

Here's how you can help:

Sign the Petition (http://www.gopetition.com/online/18444.html)

Send in your used filter cartridges: (http://takebackthefilter.org/2008/04/send-us-your-used-fi ...)

Read more about the issue: (http://www.takebackthefilter.org)

Spread the word. This is a grassroots movement. If we don't speak up, who will?

Beth Terry http://www.fakeplasticfish.com

by Beth Terry at 11:48 AM on 18 Apr 2008

ADVERTISING POLICY

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