Comments on: Pitch Me Your Green Product, but Skip the Greenwash. Here’s How.

By: Kitten

Kitten — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 08:38:41 +0000

“Don’t just tell me your product has a low carbon footprint. Tell me how it’s safe for my family.
So many products these days are touted as “green” because they produce fewer carbon emissions to manufacture and ship. But if your product is made with chemicals that could leach out and harm my health, it’s not so very green in my book.”

THIS. x1000. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had clothing/accessories made from old bike inner tubes and baby toys stuffed with styrofoam discards promoted to me. Yes, these are things that would otherwise be thrown in a landfill, and it’s good to find ways to get maximum millage out of them. But these are materials that were not considered good or safe enough to be used in clothing/children’s toys the first time around – what makes them safer now that they’re recycled? Just because it keeps waste out of a landfill is no reason to bring it into my home.

By: janeisgreen

janeisgreen — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:16:03 +0000

@BethTerry Well, I’m certainly transparent! Every item on the website & every label has all ingredients listed. :)

By: BethTerry

BethTerry — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:07:29 +0000

@janeisgreen Hi. The most important point is in the last paragraph. This post is not about being perfect but about fully disclosing your ingredients and practices so we can make up our own minds.

“We don’t expect you to be perfect. Some of us are business people ourselves selling our own products. We know there are trade offs and every product has an environmental footprint. But all the bloggers I asked said the same thing. Openness and transparency are more important than anything else. The more we know, the more likely we are to work with you. “

By: janeisgreen

janeisgreen — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 19:56:43 +0000

I have a home-based shop and website where I make and sell 100% natural products. I use glass or aluminum bottles for liquids, but there’s no alternative available for the plastic spray nozzles & caps — it’s very frustrating! I don’t use fancy packaging for anything. I mail orders re-using boxes from supplies & I collect them from family & neighbours, too, and I re-use stuffing (sometimes bubble wrap) that my supplies arrive in. I have only one (82%) organic product because the price would be too high for people otherwise. I try to keep my prices as low as possible so everybody can afford natural alternatives. I live very simply myself. What I’m trying to say is that to meet all requirements above would make decent products out of reach for the majority of people. I wish it was otherwise, but sometimes just not possible.

By: BethTerry

BethTerry — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:57:03 +0000

@mayamade Hi. What is your business and what are your challenges in deplasticking?

By: mayamade

mayamade — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:20:23 +0000

Thanks so much for this blog post. I know it’s an older post but i just found you and this is the first post I’ve read. As a person who works towards a greener earth and a healthier planet I love hearing this. I am also a micro business owner who works towards not using plastics, I say works towards because however I try completely eliminating plastics has proved incredibly difficult. Seeing your list all spelled out is exactly what I what to know as a consumer from business, what I try to convey as a micro business owner and what I ask from my suppliers. Thank you again so very much.

By: oscar g

oscar g — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 19:12:18 +0000

Way to go on addressing the greenwash! I would add a principle or criteria on worker rights and workplace dignity. I grew up on environmental justice values and the core principles consist of health and justice for the worker, community members and mother earth.

By: thetastyalternative

thetastyalternative — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 23:18:37 +0000

Beth,

You ROCK lady! This is fantastic.

Thank you, thank you.]

Be Well,
-Amber

By: Benannah

Benannah — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:47:11 +0000

Totally agree, Becki! That’s why I always try to find reusable items because at least I know what I will be doing with them!

By: thecardboardcollective

thecardboardcollective — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 03:47:55 +0000

I remember once buying a tube of “organic” makeup that turned out to packaged in a container that was colored with brown flecks to make the plastic cap LOOK like it was made from recycled plastic. I was infuriated!

I have also gotten really tired of so many organic and natural brands here in Japan who have every health buzz word printed on their product and none of the packaging is recyclable. (Here we can only recycle PET) One example is a really wonderful biodegradable laundry soap that I love, purporting to be created for the benefit of the ocean but it comes in a disposable plastic package that cannot be recycled. There is a total disconnect! How can you put so much effort into the soap without any thought of what will happen to the packaging?

I just attended the International Symposium on Marine Plastic Pollution hosted by Dr. Hideshige Takada, 5gyres and surfriderf oundation last week that was held here in Tokyo, and many of the researchers mentioned how this was particularly a problem in Japan.