Friday, March 21, 2008

Green Clean



Something few people know about me is that I make my own cleaning products. It’s an environmental-organic-frugal-give my family something to complain about thing. It’s easy to make your own cleaning products. I think they work better than many commercial items. Yes, I use a lot of vinegar and that’s where the complaining comes in. But the odor fades quickly and complaining is just what families do.





But I have been curiously awaiting the release of Clorox’s new Green Works line. I know it seemed strange to me at first too. This brand name alone connotes toxic chemicals. And yes I have tried Seventh Generation. They’re a bit expensive but I do sometimes indulge in the fabric softener. Anyway, I did some research and am pleased that Green Works, which was released in January, is getting some rave reviews.






Most surprising is the Sierra Club endorsement. They asked several of their volunteer committees to review the cleaners before allowing Clorox to use their logo. It’s the first time they’ve ever endorsed a cleaning product. Treehugger ran this quote from Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope,"We hope we are transforming the marketplace by doing this. These products are clean, they're green, they're not going to hurt you, and they're not going to hurt the environment."






Another surprise: Clorox actually publishes the ingredients for Green Works—typically unheard of in this industry. Treehugger confirms that the ingredients are mostly natural just as the company claims.






And about the cost. Clorox can’t beat my homemade products but for the convenience their prices aren’t bad ranging from $2.99 to $3.39.






The two things about this line that really make me smile are:





  1. The Company’s openness. The website is informative and factual (and blogger friendly since they happily include downloadable images for sharing.)



  2. It makes green products readily accessible. Major brands have the money muscle for advertising, product placement and mass production. That means more people will be able to choose environmentally friendly products.






But if you’re still curious about making your own, check out Care2.com's Green Living pages.

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