Clorox Greenworks: Greenwashing or Green Cleaning?

After deciding not to add the Clorox name to Burt's Bees, for fear it would cause distrust amongst eco-shoppers, the company has just released a new line of "green" cleaning products. Clorox Greenworks, is the first line of greener cleaning products to be launched by a major manufacturer. According to Beth Springer, vice president for strategy and growth at Clorox, Greenworks bears the Clorox name because:

We spent a lot of time talking with consumers who wanted to keep their homes clean and healthy but wanted more natural alternatives,” Ms. Springer says. “And they confessed in most cases they were disappointed with having to pay more for products that didn’t work. So we concluded that we would initially bring it out with the Clorox brand name endorsing it because it gave people a belief in its efficacy.

The Clorox name may appeal to the mainstream consumer, but what about the eco-shoppers? The Sierra Club will be endorsing Greenworks products with its logo this spring. Clorox Greenworks products are at least 99 % natural and feature the following products:

GreenWorks Natural All-Purpose Cleaner

GreenWorks Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner

GreenWorks Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner

GreenWorks Natural Dilutable Cleaner

GreenWorks Natural Bathroom Cleaner

The goal is to move green cleaning into the mainstream. Clorox Greenworks products are biodegradable, non-toxic, plant-based, non animal-tested, non-allergenic, have full ingredient transparency, and made with recyclable packaging.

Read more at:
Treehugger- specific information about the Greenworks "natural" ingredients
Eco Child's Play-how Clorox has benefited from the FDA's decision not to clearly define "natural"
Lohas and the Sierra Club-the partnership between the Sierra Club and Clorox

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Posted by Jennifer Lance at January 23, 2008 8:56 AM

So, according to Sommer, we should not buy Clorox Greenworks because they don't care about the environment, people, and are just greedy. So then if we don't buy it, their Greenworks line fails and they pull it off the market, and go back to 100% toxic chemicals. Great logic. Or, we can support them, they expand their Greenworks line, perhaps someday cut back on their toxic lines, and maybe if Greenworks is successful enough the eventually phase out their toxic lines.

I hate to tell you, but every company is in it to make money. Even the little guy. If they didn't make money, they wouldn't be able to do it for long, would they? Maybe this is why the big corporations never do anything good for people or the earth, because if they do they get lambasted anyway.

Here's something else: your beloved Method -- all of their scented products use BPA. Or, at least they did in 2008 when I researched it.

Posted by: Robb at October 26, 2010 3:49 PM

I would not buy and support this company. They still manufacture toxic products that hurt the environment and test on animals. They are just captalizing on the "green" market because it is a money maker, not because they care. They listened to the consumers for this one thing because it will put more green in their pocket. There are companies out there that care about the envrionment before green was cool and only manufacture products that are good for you, choose those. http://www.greenmom.info

Posted by: Sommer at January 28, 2008 5:42 PM