Are You a Smart Shopper?

What makes a smart shopper?

The Daughters of Charity seek to shop with a conscience.  We do this by using Better World Shopping Guide as a tool.

These are the categories used to grade companies. The website breaks down the details behind the company's grade. Last month we focused on chocolate. Did you know many of the companies get their cocoa beans through slave labor? Watch "The Dark Side of Chocolate" to find out more.

This month we are looking at cleaning products. Overall, short of making your own product by using vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda, there are other alternatives to petroleum-based products and products made with toxic chemical ingredients.

Seventh Generation is listed in the Better World Shopping Guide (BWSG) as one of the A+ companies. These products are available at Target, Walmart, CVS and Walgreens to name some of the major outlets supplying the products. Ratings of the products vary, but on the whole are satisfactory. Prices are somewhat competitive when comparing similar products; usually there is a one- or two-dollar difference.

Clorox, labeled as the "Villain" in the BWSG, has in the last five years introduced a line of products called Green Works. This has somewhat raised the level of Clorox, but with the acquisition of several other companies, there still are questions regarding testing on animals and the use of harmful chemicals.

Clorox has also raised its score over the years in Climate Counts:

Review: 19/22 points Clorox has taken an inventory of the impact it has on global warming and the company expects to continue its review in the future.

Reduce: 41/56 points Clorox has established clear goals to reduce the company's greenhouse gas emissions and has initiated projects that have resulted in reductions.

Policy Stance: 8/10 points Clorox supports public policy that addresses climate change.

Report: 9/12 points Clorox has made public information available on its company-wide efforts to address global warming.

Let Clorox know you are aware of its improvement. Send an email or a tweet!

We invite you to join us in being socially responsible shoppers. Let's support companies doing a good job and speak up to companies that benefit from the abuse of people and creation.