Should Environmental Organizations Endorse Green Cleaners?

It’s not easy being green…even for the Sierra Club!

The environmental group’s 800-member northern Michigan chapter is in turmoil after its entire board resigned in protest over the national office’s decision to align itself with a chemical company.

The Sierra Club’s national board agreed to endorse a line of “green” cleaning products made by the Clorox Company in return for an undisclosed cut of the product’s profits.

It’s the first product endorsement in the club’s 116-year history. Many local groups and state chapters objected to the decision, but the Traverse Group thus far is the only board to resign en masse.

“We just were stunned when we found out,” said Monica Evans, former Traverse Group chairwoman. “We just couldn’t be part of an organization that jumped into bed with one of the most negative environmentally impacting companies in America.”

A household product company  is one of the worst environmental offenders? Ms. Evans noted that Sierra Club members for decades fought against the company, its use of environmentally harmful cleaning products and polluting chemical plants. She said other companies that for years have produced competitively priced green cleaning products instead deserve the Sierra Club endorsement.

“I think they sold out for the money,” Ms. Evans said of the national board. “That’s the only logical conclusion.”

Sierra Club spokesman David Willett said Sierra Club only benefits financially if people buy a green product.

The Clorox Green Works product line will be sold by major retailers on the shelf next to traditional cleaning products at a comparable cost, he said, making green products available to more consumers.

“In working with Clorox our general feeling is we are not going to be able to make the really big changes we need to make to protect the environment if we don’t have business working towards those changes,” Mr. Willett said. “They need to see that they can make a profit from green products.”

Ms. Evans said there are other green products on the market and the Clorox partnership is not the way to meet the club’s goals.

“This was a tough decision for us,” Ms. Evans said. “For the last eight years we’ve given our hearts and souls to the Sierra Club.”

Since 2000, local Sierra Club membership has almost doubled and the Traverse Group took leadership positions on issues ranging from opposition to the Hartman-Hammond Bridge to helping thwart a proposed coal-fired power plant in Manistee.

Greg Reisig, chairman of the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council, said the Traverse Group played a big role as an environmental watchdog in northern Michigan.

“Monica Evans was one of the leaders of our environmental community and they will be missed,” Reisig said.

Anne Woiwode, state director of the Sierra Club, said the resignations caught her by surprise.

“It’s very sad for us because they are terrific activists, terrific leaders and good friends,” she said.

Woiwode said the state chapter will send a letter to members and ask if anyone wants to accept a leadership role. If not, the group will dissolve until someone is ready to resurrect it.