Is Simple Green Pinkwashing?

Pinkwashing: A term used to describe companies that position themselves as leaders in the fight against breast cancer while engaging in practices that may be contributing to rising rates of the disease.

Yep, Simple Green is guilty of pinkwashing; Simple Green Pink Ribbon is the company’s All-Purpose Cleaner dressed up in a pink costume. But while the company trumpets their commitment to breast cancer awareness, it may still be using chemicals linked to the disease.

Simple Green doesn’t disclose the ingredients in fragrances or preservatives in their regular line of products, including Pink Ribbon. We know that several chemicals used in both fragrances and preservatives are possible carcinogens or hormone disruptors (which can lead to increased risk of breast cancer), such as triclosan and parabens. With 1 in 8 women diagnosed with breast cancer, we can’t afford exposure to hidden ingredients that may be linked to the disease.

If the company is truly committed to supporting breast cancer research, it should be proud to reveal that it doesn’t use chemicals linked to the disease. They disclose all ingredients in their Naturals line—what are they hiding in products like Simple Green Pink Ribbon?

Tell Simple Green to make good on their commitment in the fight against breast cancer and disclose all the ingredients in their products. Awareness is only part of the solution. What we need is prevention, and the first step to preventing breast cancer is having the information we need to avoid chemicals linked to the disease.

Simple steps to Green Living....

Whether it’s out of concern for the environment or for a desire to live a more natural lifestyle, more people are making green decisions for their homes. In Gallup’s annual Environmental Poll (2008), 28 percent of Americans said they’ve made major changes to their lives to protect the environment, while 55 percent said they have made minor changes. The most common changes involve recycling, conserving fuel, using less electricity and making homes more energy efficient.
Another step people are taking is to buy eco-friendly or more natural products for their homes. A recent Yahoo green living survey found that 57 percent of respondents have made green purchases within the last six months.There are simple and affordable steps you can take around the house that will help improve the environment of your home as well as the earth.

Step One: Understand Natural

For example, when The Clorox Company introduced its line of Green Works natural cleaners, it listed all ingredients on the label and defined what it means by natural: ingredients that are plant-based, biodegradable and not tested on animals.