Buying small and local vs. supporting green in large

I buy my soap from a lady named Susannah who hand-makes it from beeswax, water and lye and nothing else. For other people, she scents it with essential oils, but when I read that essential oils are being used in such concentration that they are now entering the water and affecting marine wildlife, I asked her to make me soap without them.

She does, and I therefore have a trusted, local source for ecologically-sensitive personal care products. She does it partly for a favor, partly because I pay her, and partly because she herself is concerned with treading gently on this planet in order to help keep our species safe, secure and happy. I know I can trust her.

Because Susannah's business is small and local, she can easily provide transparency and responsiveness to customers, two of the characteristics I've written (here and here) will win over forest-green customers.

On the other hand, three businesses which had earned a certain amount of trust from green(ish) customers have recently been bought by huge corporations with no environmental credentials whatsoever. L'Oreal paid $1.4 billion for Body shop. Colgate-Palmolive bought an 84% stake in Tom's of Maine. And now Clorox, the bleach company, has bought Burt's Bees for nearly $1 billion.

Of course, the big corporations have promised to keep the green-pedigreed companies running within the operating philosophies created by their founders, but how can we know for sure? Burt's Bees was of interest to Clorox, one can only imagine, because its revenue soared from $23 million to $164 million in the last seven years, not because stockholders in mega-corporation have decided to put good citizenship before profit.

The putative good news, according to the New York Times, is that Clorox executives say "they plan to learn from the unusual business practices at Burt's Bees--many centered on environmental sustainability. Clorox, the company promises, is going green."

But, as the New York Times puts it, "many corporate leaders have sold their shareholders on green initiatives by pointing out that they help cut costs." That begs a question: what happens when there is a decision that pits green against costs, and it's happening inside a gigantic black box that eco-conscious customers can't see into?

Transparency might be one way a company like Clorox could get over this hump. Some way in which consumers could examine operations to be sure that they are getting what they are promised. Some way of short-circuiting cynicism about corporate spin. Some way of proving that Burt's Bees is actually sticking to its triple bottom line.

To be sure, it's a good thing that sustainable practices are going mainstream, but companies like Clorox face plenty of skepticism and customers have good reason. One NPR host joked that buying Burt's Bees gives Clorox the chance to convince us all to smear bleach all over our lips.

So the next step for big business, after buying into sustainability, is finding a way to keep customers convinced that they aren't just getting greenwashed. Till then, I'm getting my soap from Susannah.

Photo of Burt's Bees founders Roxanne Quimby and Burt Shavitz in 2001 by Bob Rowe and courtesy of  NYTimes.Com.

Comments

[CindyW]

I don't blame Burt's Bees for selling to Clorox. It is extremely difficult to reject that type of financial incentive. Most mortals would accept the offer. However recently I heard a story about Clif Bars owners - 5 years ago they walked way from a a $120 million buyout offer from Mars candy because they did not believe that their business would be able to keep it mission once integrated. For example, they decided to price their organic bars the same as their conventional bars. If they had been under Mars, the business decision would have been quite different. In most cases, I suspect a green business often cannot maintain its integrity once it is a part of a big company. That's unfortunate. Personally I will continue to support small and independent businesses.

[Malva]

I grew up using Tom's of Maine. I switched to Green Beaver toothpaste (and now deodorant) when I found out Tom's was mostly owned by Colgate. Green Beaver also happens to be local to me. Who knew one could buy 100mile toothpaste?

[Kris]

I find similar irony when buying local produce from the market verses organic, plastic-wrapped produce from Trader Joes/Supermarket that's been carted hundreds of miles to get there.

That said, can we truly expect small companies that have success to never get bigger, or cash-out? I don't think that's a fair expectation, but I do hope that they'll become more transparent as you suggest to quell our fears.

[sue]

picking nits this morning - it's not possible to make soap out of beeswax, lye, and water. You need a fat, as well. I'm assuming this is a typo, but wanted to point it out lest any readers get any potentially dangerous ideas of making soap without fat. I also assume you've researched her fat choices and are satisfied with their origin (many recipes call for crisco, lard, or tallow and it's difficult to find pasture-rasied, humanely killed tallow in NYC, I'm sure). It's really easy to make a good-sudsing shampoo bar, too. We make our own soap and it's all purpose - no packaging, no essential oils, and much higher quality than the stuff at the store.

[Farmwife]

I make all our soap as well, using our own goat milk. Or, if I am short on time -- I buy it from a friend who does the same. Once you use "real" soap, you don't go back to the store bought stuff :)

Unless you produce your own items/food or buy it from someone who does, you have no idea what goes into it, how it was handled, or where it came from.

I still shop at the store, but my list to buy becomes shorter all the time.

[susan]

When I learned that Tom's of Maine & Burt's Bees were controlled by big biz, I stopped buying those products :-( I just don't trust the corporations that bought them.

[asal]

yah, when i found out burts was bought out i stopped buying their products. it's a shame too, 'cause their make up was the only line that matched my colouring. but since they were bought out, clorox got rid of their make up line entirely, and changed a lot of their products. they're all crap now... it's really unfortunate. if anyone knows of a company that makes good concealer or tinted moisturizer for middle eastern/olive skin, please let me know! i think i've tried everything :S

[ashley]

bah! This is depressing. I love Body Shop, Tom's of Maine (hard to find non-plastic toothpaste), and Burt's Bees. I am inspired by all of you who proclaim to not shop them anymore...hopefully I'll be as strong. But it's SO hard to find good replacements. Any advice??

[betsy]

Any chance you can share Susannah's store info with us? Does she sell at the Union Square Green Market? I've been looking for some local soap, but being slow about actually commmitting.

[Colin Beavan aka No Impact Man]

Union Square farmers' market on Fridays. Just east of the northwest corner. A stand that sells honey and candles and Susannah's soap.

[Zwischen]

I recently learned from the Fake Plastic Fish blog that Clorox also owns Brita. And Brita will not take its filters back for recycling in the United States-- they do in Europe.

I like Brita's product but hate throwing that plastic in the trash, bound for a landfill. I haven't yet written Clorox a letter, but I will! Maybe now that the green spotlight is on Clorox with the Burt's Bees purchase, they will respond to pressure and clean up their act.

[Nick Harter]

I purchase products from small companies like the above, not only because they are green and healthier for me, but also just to support a small business. The allure is lost somewhat when it's a big corporation running the show. I don't like how much their executives get paid, and therefore, try not to support them. I know that getting them to change is a good thing, but I figure there are plenty of other people out there who will continue to buy their products without the slightest hint of irony.

[shanalulu]

So Clorox says they're "going green."

How? They make bleach. Bleach is, by definition, environmentally destructive. I would LOVE to hear exactly how they plan on going "green." This is the kind of thing that ticks me off. Sue Averageconsumer is going to buy into their schtick, because she's not up on the facts, and the greenwashing will continue.

Personally, I've also quit patronizing TBS, TofM, and BB. I don't trust the parent companies for a second, and there is absolutely no way that there won't be SOME degree of seepage.

[arduous]

Wow, I didn't know that about Tom's of Maine. That's disappointing, though I can understand how it would have been difficult for Tom and Kate to pass up the money.

I'm going to wait and see how it goes, and if I feel like they're slipping, I'll switch toothpastes. I don't believe big corporations have to inherently be bad.

[shanalulu]

No, they don't have to be inherently bad, but do you want your money eventually ending up in the coffers of a company that does plenty of bad? I'd just as soon support a socially- and environmentally-responsible company.

Besides, nothing serves as better incentive to the good companies to stay good and independent than giving them additional market share.

[Charles]

How do I get in touch with Susannah? Can she hook me up with some soap too?

[anne]

But if we don't buy those products, won't the corporations give up on them altogether, concluding that the market just isn't there? Isn't it a good thing that environmentally-friendly products will get a bigger market share with a big company behind them? Yes, there will be ad campaigns and promotions, but why is that bad if it convinces the average shopper to switch from harmful petrochemical products to less destructive ones? Those of us who read this blog have already converted to a lower-impact lifestyle, but we are a definite minority. The reality is that millions of Americans will buy their personal care and cleaning products only from Walmart or some other low-cost big box store. I would rather see them have a greener alternative from a corporation on that shelf than nothing at all. Compact fluorescents have gone mainstream thanks to big boxes like Walmart and Home Depot. You may belittle it as greenwashing, but they've gotten ordinary people to buy them, and that will make a difference.

[shanalulu]

Yeah, but the only decision you can make is for you. Am I going to buy from a company I wholeheartedly do not support, or from one that I do?

[Flick]

Excellent post and comments. I must say though that I do think small companies should resist being bought out if they truly believe in what they are doing. By the time they are attractive the founders of these companies could hardly be hurting for money. To me it seems that there might be a better path than the sellout. Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm says that the trick is to never go public in the first place, retain control and stay relatively small. He makes a good living. How much money do people really need in businesses that don't require huge capital outlays and plan to stay local?
Anne you have a good point, but I don't think the large companies will suffer too badly when we decide to buy from smaller more local sources. But I hope they do! I think big companies are inherently part of the problem, and their potential replacement by tiny local companies brings joy to my heart. Meaningful work making well thought out and crafted items that are actually neccessary sure beats working at mallwart or any other corporate squeezebox. If big companies can figure out how to do something useful and well then great, but I'm sure they won't be losing too much sleep at corporate worrying about you and yours, so I wouldn't worry too much about them. In the labor intensive local bizz economy there will always be opportunities for retraining corporate executives to make candles or grow some food should they crash and burn. That thought cheers my heart too.

[Elizabeth Winthrop]

For Asil, above about a good concealer and makeup company, I recommend Jane Iredale. All her stuff is made in Great Barrington, Mass. Great powder for concealer and it is SPF 25.

[Amy]

Thank you for voicing the skepticism I've been feeling ever since I heard about the Burt's Bees purchase!

[Andy in San Diego]

Yes, in the US at least big corporations do have to be inherently bad. It's the law. Read "The Corporation: the Pathologic Pursuit of Profit and Power."

I think it's time to stop supporting a business long before it's worth a billion dollars.

I would like to hear how to make "a good-sudsing shampoo bar". I just made some not-so-sudsing soap from bacon fat, and that was pretty darn cool. I knew that grease would come in handy.

[Beth Terry]

Ever since I started writing about the non-recyclability of plastic Brita water filter cartridges on my blog, people have asked what we can do about it. Now that Clorox is trying to "green" up its image by acquiring Burt's Bees, is this a good time to pressure them to create a take back program for their Brita cartridges as the Brita company does in Europe?

Clorox bought the U.S. division of Brita in 1988 and is not connected to the original European company, which has created a whole system for recycling the cartridges. We in the U.S. just have to junk them. How environmentally friendly is that?

If anyone else is interested in some kind of campaign to get Clorox to at least publicly address the question of recycling the cartridges, please contact me. My latest post on this issue is at:

http://www.fakeplasticfish.com/2008/01/hand-lotion-is-it-for-bees.html

There are links in that post to earlier posts. It seems that a lot of people are frustrated about this issue.

[Adam Kamerer - JoyChaser.com]

One of the problems I have with parent corporations acquiring a smaller green company like this is that typically the price of the green product begins to steadily rise until it becomes so expensive that consumers will purchase only the cheaper, less environmentally-safe product. In effect, the "greenness" of the product becomes an added feature that the company wants to charge more for.

[Diane Gandee Sorbi]

As a Burt's Bees gal for many years, I was very disappointed to read that they sold out to Clorox. Their products were reasonably priced and effective. I'll now be looking for another company for my skin care needs. The bottom line is that I just don't trust a company whose main product is bleach to have my best interests at heart, and to keep the formulas the same. Zwischen, I wasn't aware that Clorox bought Brita. It seems a bit ironic, as their filters help remove chlorine from drinking water.

Anne, you make a good point when you say that environmentally-friendly products will get a bigger market share when they are well advertised and available at the big-box stores. I agree with the comments made by Shanalulu, however. Of course, not all corporations are bad. Some manufacture products that people really need, and that are ethically-made. They supply many jobs and give some of their profits to good causes. I must admit though that I'm extremely skeptical of any company when CEO salaries and compensation packages are astronomical. If a person knows they can retire early and be quite wealthy if their corporation does well, unless they are very principled, they may not choose to do what's best for the consumer. I prefer to make my purchases from smaller, locally-owned companies whenever possible.