In early March of this year, the outings chairperson for the Traverse Group of the Sierra Club (TGSC) was surfing the Internet when she happened on an article that she found unimaginable. The national Sierra Club, she learned, had entered into a deal with the Clorox Company. In exchange for the use of the Sierra Club name and logo on Clorox’s new line of “environmentally friendly” household cleaning products, “Green Works,” the Sierra Club would receive a cut of the profits. It was a revelation that left the executive committee of the TGSC, in shock. Why hadn’t we heard about this deal from our state chapter? How could the Sierra Club even consider a partnership with the Clorox Chemical Company, one of the most polluting companies in America; a corporation that had recently been fined $95,000 for violating U.S. pesticide laws? Untold numbers of Sierra Club volunteers have spent decades trying to hold Clorox accountable for their malfeasance and environmental degradation of the planet. How could the Sierra Club justify such an irony of fate as to allow that very company the privilege of using the club name and logo? To us, it felt like Sierra Club had sold its soul to the highest bidder. We also strongly felt that John Muir, the founder of the Sierra Club, surely would not approve. 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.
HYPOCRISY If the Clorox Company cares so deeply about the environment, why does it continue to develop and produce environmentally-devastating products, which are also tested on animals? Does creating a “green line” balance out the harm done by Clorox’s regular line of products?” The answer to that question, we believe, is a resounding “no.” We see this as nothing more than the Clorox Company jumping on the environmental profit bandwagon, with Sierra Club’s support. One of the reasons for supporting the “Green Works” line of cleaning products given by Robbie Cox, Sierra Club’s president, was that they would be more affordable to the average consumer. However, price comparisons done by the TGSC clearly show that some long-standing eco-friendly products actually cost less, and most are competitive. And truly environmentally compassionate companies such as Seventh Generation, Earth Friendly and Ecover, have been working hard to do the right thing for years. The Sierra Club membership was not consulted nor informed of this monumental decision. Sierra Club instead entered into the deal, cloaked in secrecy and without transparency. Sierra Club has refused to disclose the fee amount or what the money will be used for, only stating the amount of profit is “substantial.”
HOW GREEN? As for the “greenness” of the product line, we cite the fact that two ingredients in the “Green Works” products are corn ethanol and coconut oil, both of which perpetuate poor environmental policies, including deforestation and industrial agriculture. We were all volunteers on the executive committee of the local Sierra Club, giving our time, energy and heart for the health of the planet. It was imperative for us, as close friends and as dedicated Sierra Club members, to decide how we would react to this deal as a group. The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, most influential environmental grassroots organization in the country. It is also a non-profit organization. The deal with Clorox seemed unconscionable to us. Therefore, the TGSC Executive Committee wrote a formal resolution to oppose the deal with Clorox, and resigned as of May 31. The resolution/resignation was then sent to the Michigan and National Chapter leadership as well as the local Midwest Director. We do not condemn American consumers who choose to purchase Clorox products, although we certainly urge the use of environmentally-friendly products other than Clorox “Green Works,” which are now available in almost any grocery store. We feel it was our responsibility to let our members and the general public know why we have disbanded. This is not to say that other Sierra Club members cannot pick up where we left off. It simply means that we, in good faith and conscience, cannot continue to volunteer for an organization that has broken our trust and our honor.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS We’ve done some amazing work over the past eight years. We fought to protect South Fox Island and the Leelanau State Park, helped stop the construction of a coal plant in Manistee and protected the Boardman River Valley. We worked hard to help elect a great new environmentally-minded mayor and two dedicated city commissioners in TC. We weighed in on dozens of environmental issues that affected our region. We are proud of what we accomplished. We know we will, as a committed group of friends, continue to work together for the good of the planet. We’ll also continue to have fun together. As more and more Sierra Club members and volunteers across the country become aware of the Clorox-Sierra Club partnership, we can only hope that our resignation over the Clorox deal will gather momentum and convince the Sierra Club leadership to stop ALL “support” of Clorox.
Monica Evans, ex-chair, Traverse Group of the Sierra Club Andrea Dean, Peggy Fry, John Lewis Jim Stricko, Priscilla Walmsley
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