Green Options » Green Works

Sustainability Predictions For 2009

Reenita Malhotra — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:53:12 +0000

Landor Associates, a leading strategic brand consulting and design firm, has released their second annual trends outlook, which provides “predictions” for 2009 including sustainability.

Russ Meyer, the Chief Strategy Associate for Landor Associates tells us that brands will need to integrate their commitment to sustainability into a larger message of efficiency, effectiveness, and value.

What can we expect to see in 2009?

As consumers look to cut spending, buying “green” may be a low priority in 2009; however, achieving sustainability is a long-term trend that will continue through the next decade. According to Russ Meyer, this trend will continue and even gain momentum globally as a consequence of the economic downturn.

Concurrently, President-elect Barack Obama’s commitment to sustainable energy may finally ensure the support of the world’s largest economy—and biggest consumer of energy—in the global shift toward green.

The Green Cleaning Challenge: Substituting Chemicals With Vegetables

Frances Sechler — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:30:29 +0000

I have discovered the holy grail of green cleaners! There are very few situations in which consuming unnecessary chemicals seems like a good idea so I decided to re-vamp my cleaning supplies. Slowly I am substituting my traditional products for vegetable-based products which are more safe and sustainable and I challenge you to try the same!

Of course it is always cost effective and environmentally friendly to make cleaning products at home but if you opt to buy them instead then this article is for you! So far I have found vegetable-based laundry detergent, anti-bacterial spray, dish soap and even biodegradable cleansing wipes! Let me elaborate on the brands I have stumbled upon:

My new favorite laundry detergent is made by a company called Ecover which specializes in biodegradable, vegetable-based cleaning products for all areas of the home. Each load requires just two small lid-fuls of detergent which will last you an estimated 20 loads. My clothes come out fresh and fragrant every time.

The second bunch of green cleaning tools comes from Clorox. I have invested in their new line of Green Works products, including toilet bowl cleaner and all-purpose cleaner, which work like magic. Now we’ll just have to wait for them to phase out the traditional chemical-based cleaners!

Clorox Green Works, Greenwashers or Environment Stewards

roger2435 — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:13:02 +0000

I have been reading a lot of mixed reviews of Clorox’s new “green works” line of household cleaners. For those of you who do not know, greenwashing according to wikipedia “is a term that is used to describe the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.” Chester’s Clean House writes that even 1% unnatural ingredients is too much. They have a strong argument, but I still think the cleaners are better for the environment and they don’t really cost me any extra to use them. Joel Makower discusses how Clorox is trying to become a green company, after many years as the “Bleach” company. TreeHugger seems to like green works and talks a lot about it’s Sierra Club endorsement. This all gets more interesting as I researched it more because it seems that Joel Makower is a consultant for Clorox and the Conservation Director of the Sierra Club is a TreeHugger blogger. So I am starting to wonder, is Clorox trying to buy a more green name? That sure sounds like greenwashing to me. Let me know what you think of this product and in your comments tell us if you are going to buy it?