Leaders of Traverse unit resign after Clorox profit-sharing deal
The leadership of the 800 member Traverse City-based Traverse Group of the Sierra Club has resigned in protest over a partnership between the national Sierra Club and Clorox that allows “eco-friendly” cleaning products to be sold with a Sierra Club logo in exchange for a cut of the profits.
According to a spokesman for the national Sierra Club, the Traverse Group is the first to take such action in response to the “cause-oriented marketing” arrangement, which has put the club logo on Clorox’s Green Works cleaning products sold in major retail outlets since April.
In a letter published in the Northern Express Weekly, former chair of the Traverse Group, Monica Evans, wrote that group leaders felt that the Sierra Club has “sold its soul to the highest bidder.”
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The Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) cited Clorox as one of the top three most dangerous companies in America, with nine facilities nationwide, including one in Michigan, which puts nearly 14,500,000 Michiganders at risk due to the use and storage of dangerous chemicals.
Chlorine manufacturing plants also use and discharge mercury, a potent brain toxin that is released into the air, rains down, and ultimately contaminates our soil, plants, lakes, wildlife, aquatic organisms, waterfowl and fish. The Sierra Club has, in the past, joined lawsuits seeking to clean up chlorine plants for this reason.
Evans also wrote that some of the ingredients in the Clorox Green Works products are actually not environmentally sound, and that there are other similarly priced environmentally-friendly cleaning products from companies that are more worthy of endorsing.
Dave Willett, national press secretary for the Sierra Club, told Michigan Messenger that the club chose to endorse Green Works products because it felt that with its large market share, Clorox could popularize ecologically sound cleaning products.
“The fact that Clorox is a company that sells bleach is definitely an issue that was looked into,” he said.
Willett said that the Sierra Club is comfortable in dealing with Clorox, in part because Clorox has looked to the Sierra Club “for input on how they can be a better company overall.”
When asked for examples of any company practices that have been improved as a result of Clorox’s relationship with the Sierra Club, Willet did not have any specifics.
“I know they do endangered species stuff …” he said. “Our CEO and Clorox’s CEO have had conversations about that. I don’t know specifics.”
He said that so far the products seem to be selling well, though there are not yet any estimates as to how much revenue the sales will generate for the club.
Director of the Michigan chapter of the Sierra Club, Anne Woiwode, told Michigan Messenger that the state chapter objects to the decision to partner with Clorox and sent a resolution to that effect to the national board in April.