The Greenwashers at War

Greenwashing Works for Clorox Thanks to Sierra Club Sell Out--SC Johnson Attacks

Chemical super-powers are painting a green portrait of themselves with marketing dollars. Clorox Green Works cleaning products claim to be "99% natural." So what's that other 1%? There is no way to know. Clorox does not post a real ingredient list for their "green" products. The percentage break down on Clorox disinfecting wipes clearly states on the label that only 0.29% of the ingredients are active cleansing agents. That means that over 99% of the product is water. By these standards, all of their products are "natural."

Clorox acknowledges that their Green Works products are not completely green. The statement on the company website reveals "In certain cases we had to use synthetic ingredients, like the preservative and green colorant." Preservatives and colorants are things most of us would gladly do without, ingredients that aren't necessary to the efficacy of the product. This statement washes over the possibility of petrochemical cleaning agents.

The environmental impact of the "natural" ingredients in the Green Works glass cleaner may be greater than the impact of the petrochemical alternative. The ethanol in the glass cleaner is derived from corn according to the company's website. Ethanol from corn produces seven pounds of by-product for every gallon of ethanol. This ethanol waste is then fed to cattle, introducing it into the food chain. These cattle may be at higher risk of E. Coli contamination according to a study conducted by Kansas State University, which increases human risk of the infection.

The Sierra Club seems to have overlooked this information when they accepted Clorox's sponsorship donation. Their website explains clearly the ins and outs of the partnership. As "the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States," The Sierra Club is supposed to "foster vibrant, healthy communities with clean water and air that are free from toxic chemical threats." There's nothing vibrant or healthy about petrochemical cleaning products, which they sweep under the rug with claims of a "strategy of seeking major improvements, but not perfection." Less dangerous is not the same as safe.

Chlorine poisoning and pollution are among the most common chemical dangers. Chlorine was explored as a chemical weapon as early as World War I. Cleary, the facts are in on chlorine and chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite): it's scary stuff. The Sierra Club not only glosses over this but goes on to say that "sodium hypochlorite is probably the safest chemical to use for those household needs which require disinfection." Clorox's history of OSHA and EPA violations are clearly known to The Sierra Club as they are acknowledged on their website. It's one thing to sell out but another to become a lap dog.

Well, the folks at SC Johnson tried this same Greenwashing tactic with their Green List. Essentially, it's a "Green because we say so" campaign that uses a scoring system where the lowest score is "good." Now they've got a beef with Clorox over false advertising claims.

Our pals at Green Biz say: Following a complaint from a competitor to Clorox, the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has recommended that Clorox change some of the claims it's making about its Green Works products.

Clorox launched the Green Works line of cleaners, endorsed by the Sierra Club, earlier this year. S.C. Johnson & Son challenged claims in advertisements and product labels that said Green Works products "work just as well as traditional cleaners," "work as well as conventional cleaners," and "cuts through this greasy mess as well as the leading spray cleaner."

NAD determined that Green Works products are comparable to other cleaners when it comes to removing most soils, but that they do not perform as well when it comes to cleaning tough grease. Green Works products also not kill germs. The NAD has recommended Clorox alter the claims in order to better communicate product performance and clarify that the products are not disinfectants.

Clorox has said it will comply with the NAD's recommendation to not say Green Works products "work as well" as other cleaners, and said it will take into consideration the NAD's recommendation that it modify or stop using a side-by-side grease-cleaning demonstration that compares Green Works to a "leading competitor."



Is anyone going to point out that neither of these companies make green products?