Come on.

Nature's Source. That's a new offering by our family company, S.C. Johnson. Yes, they are at it again. Oh, no, not being green, GETTING the green... from you. Now, I know, I know, they really are a conscientious company. They do a lot of good. They really do. I don't mean to bag on them as much as I do... oh, snort, of course I do.

It's really not so much the product line this time, as the idea of this product line. Here we have wonderful natural earth-friendly cleaners for everything in SC Johnson's line. Shout for laundry stains, Windex for glass, Scrubbing Bubbles for the bathroom and toilet bowl and all-purpose (you know, because you NEED 3 different cleaners for all those areas. Ka-CHING!). All re-formulated and re-packaged as Nature's Source. So, you have your familiar names, but now you can feel good about them! They're all good now!

Well, as usual, I have a few concerns. One: are they still making all the old formulas? You know, those ones with all the non-natural stuff and toxins? And if so, how can the company be true to the "green" commitment? Sure, THESE products may be fine, but are you going to stop polluting the planet with the old stuff? No? I didn't think so. Anti-green point #1.

Two: this is where the "come on" comes in... It isn't easy to research the "real" price this line from here on my couch, because stores cannot sell it online because they can't ship it to you. Because it's still considered some un-shippable hazardous product. (Anti-green point #2?) The prices I did manage to find were all right around $5 per bottle. FIVE BUCKS?? For window cleaner? What does it do, bring its own maid??? OK, seriously, the reason I mock is because for under a dollar, we can purchase a bottle of white vinegar and add a little bit to it to plain old water and use that as perfectly wonderful and effective glass cleaner. That one bottle will last a while. You can even buy it in a glass bottle and reuse the spray bottle you already have.Now THAT'S green. Some people kvetch about the smell of the vinegar and that's why they won't use it. I guess these are the same people that love the smell of bleach and use disposable diapers on their babies. Look: the smell of the vinegar dissipates in moments. I should know; I use apple cider vinegar as a rinse for my hair. Amazingly enough, I do NOT smell like a salad all day. I'm not here for those people; they'll never ever listen to me. All we can hope to do is eventually out-number them, or shame them into submission. :)

All that's happening here is that a company is jumping on the green bandwagon and greenwashing their way to profit. Sure, they might even be great products. But with other companies out there who are green all the way through, like Method and Better Life (http://www.cleanhappens.com/), or the stuff we already have around the house (white vinegar, lemons, Borax, baking soda), we do not need to fork out $5 and more for their super-special crap which really isn't that super-special. Just expensive. Don't fall for it. The planet ain't gettin' better with these products, but S.C. Johnson A Family Company IS gettin' richer.