Grist Magazine, January 14, 2008

GREEN CLOROX

[Rachel's introduction: "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."]

By David Roberts

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.

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A Grist Magazine reader, identified only as JMG, posted this response to David Roberts:

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.)

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.

Copyright 2007. Grist Magazine, Inc.