Greenwash Of The Week: Holy Cow Cleaning Product.
I came across this weeks Greenwash on the Organic Consumers website, and it involves a company using a fake “Organic” label on a cleaning product. Seems the company, Holy Cow Products, proclaims to make cleaners that “contain a blend of soaps (surfactants, emulsifiers, and lifters) which are derived from organic and natural resources and are biodegradable” They think their product is so good, in fact, that they made up their own version of the USDA Organic Certification label. Take a look:
And here is what the real USDA label looks like:
Now, your average person wouldn’t even notice that the label is a fake and just take the company at their word. This is the kind of Greenwash we need to look out for — don’t let companies get away with this kind of b.s.!
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That’s sad. I was recently reading (also at Organic Consumers) that the USDA is considering regulation of the word organic, which really gets misused right now. I hope it happens. See http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm
Wow, that is so ballsy of them. Crappy! I’m glad you are outting them.
How pathetic! They probably would have done just fine without ‘faking the funk’. Thanks for the heads up.
Incredible how many of these are out there… kind of makes sense when you think about the number of dollars that go into product packaging development and marketing.
Caveat Emptor has never been such valuable advice.
I just bought a bottle of Holy Cow All Purpose Cleaner.
Does anyone know exactly what ingredients ARE in this product and where it is produced?
It readily lists what types of ingredients it does NOT contain. Isn’t there some law that warrants ingredient disclosure and what country the product is produced in?
The only thing the two labels have in common is that they are both circular shaped. The official “USDA Organic” label pictured above, with a red circle and two shades of green font, is a label used by the USDA for food products and cosmetics. It has nothing to do whatsoever with cleaning products. The black and white information on the Holy Cow label simply states that this cleaning product meets the USDA standards and requirements for cleaning around food preparation areas. Quite a difference, wouldn’t you agree?
No. Because everyone knows what you are trying to do – consumers are not that stupid.
Brent… David is right. The resemblance is so close it’s obvious that this is intentionally designed to mislead people.
I also find it curious that the “USDA Certification” you have posted on your website is from some company that can’t be found by any online search. The address doesn’t come up on a Google map search and the email address is at mindspring.net. Where did you dig this ‘certifier’ up?
It’s also interesting that this “Certification” says that your cleaners “are suitable for use in all departments in facilities inspected by U.S.D.A Food Safety & Inspection Services (FSIS). This sounds a lot different than some kind of official USDA Certification.
I also find it interesting that the document continues to say “All surfaces must be thoroughly rinsed with potable water prior to reintroduction of foodstuff.”
It seems like there is little healthy or environmentally friendly about this stuff you sell. IMHO
Good catch David!
True, consumers are not stupid at all. They can see right through hidden agendas.
Michael, if you need help searching for information you’re looking for, it is easier to just ask. The “certifier” that was “dug up” has more experience and knowledge than both you and I combined! Be happy to help you out.
FYI, most people don’t like the taste of soap, so it’s best to rinse the soap off the surface before preparing food on it!
Finally, it just so happens that Holy Cow is one of the most effective and environmentally friendly cleaning products ever created. You should try some soon. You’ll love it!
Brent… The real problem here is that your not offering any evidence for the claims you make about your products.
What do you put in your products?
I read through the MSDS docs on your website and found that your product ingredients are not listed. I also found some concerning warnings in the first aid section. This is a quote from your website and describes the first aid procedures for your all-purpose cleaner:
—
INHALATION: Remove victim to fresh air. If breathing does not returned to normal, GET MEDICAL ATTENTION.
EYE CONTACT: Rinse Eyes in clear running water for at least 15 minutes lifting upper and lower lids periodically to assure complete rinsing. GET IMMEDIATE MEDIAL ATTENTION.
SKIN CONTACT: Wash thoroughly with soap and water. If irritation results and persists, GET MEDICAL ATTENTION.
INGESTION: If swallowed, promptly drink a large quantity (several glasses of milk, egg whites or gelatin solution. If these are not available, drink large quantities of water. GET MEDIAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.
source: http://www.holycowproducts.com/retailer.htm
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I’m no expert in household cleaners so I picked a well known green brand for comparison. I found all their product ingredients listed and below is a sample from the first aid section of their MSDS sheet for the Seventh Generation ‘Free & Clear Natural All Purpose Cleaner’.
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Eyes- Flush eyes with water immediately after contact. Call a physician if irritation persists.
Skin- Not Applicable
Inhalation- Not Applicable.
Ingestion- Drink 4-8 ounces of water or milk immediately. If prolonged nausea or pain occurs call a doctor.
source: http://www.seventhgeneration.c.....ata-sheets
—
I imagine it’s impossible to make a cleaner that doesn’t make you sick when you drink it or splash it in your eyes but I have an increased respect for Seventh Generation for publishing the facts to back up their claims.
The world of social media is a great place to promote brands. Here is your moment to shine. Instead of making any more claims would you please provide some evidence to back them up?
Michael, you are correct as you stated that it is “impossible to make a cleaner that doesn’t make you sick if you drink it or splash it in your eyes”. If that were to happen, one would only hope that the cleaner would be either of the two you mentioned above…Holy Cow or Seventh Generation, since both are extremely safe and non-toxic products.
FYI, the first aide instructions referenced above from the MSDS sheets for both Holy Cow All Purpose Cleaner and from Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner are essentially the same instructions. They state that if one splashes either of the products in the eye, rinse with water…if ingested, drink water or milk immediately (or gelatin or egg whites as additional options). Although Holy Cow carries an extremely low health risk of 1-0-0 on the MSDS (about the same as water), the folks that create the Holy Cow MSDS lean toward the side of cautiousness. Therefore, instructions regarding inhalation and skin exposure are added to include suggestions of proper ventilation and rinsing of the skin.
Although very protective of the formulation, Holy Cow contains a blend of soaps and surfactants, each one derived from natural and organic resources, that work extremely well together to make a unique and extremely effective cleaner. A natural fragrance derived from a Frecia flower is added to create a pleasant scent. There have been many advances in surfactants derived from plants and plant materials in very recent years to make this possible. In fact, the Holy Cow Glass Cleaner contains surfactants that are 100% plant derived-an accomplishment that very few if any others have achieved.
Happy cleaning!
Michael – Guess he isn’t going to tell you the ingredients, so don’t bother anymore. It’s our job to point this kind of crap out to consumers.
Thanks David… yeah I was just going to add a compliment to him on his spin doctoring.
I’ll now just cross my fingers that this rises high on the SERP for the keywords “Holy Cow Cleaning Products”
Thanks for playing Brent.
Hi Brent,
Can you tell me if all of the products are produced in the U.S.A.?
Regards,
Leslie
Hi Leslie,
Yes, all Holy Cow cleaning products are manufactured in the USA. There are shipping warehouses on the West Coast and in the Midwest for distribution to the US and to Canada.