Good Housekeeping Green Seal picks first products

We feel a bit ambivalent about the whole Good Housekeeping Green Seal initiative, and there certainly has been a lot of heated discussion online here, and here, and here for instance, since the program was announced in the Spring. Many think that its just another package button that will simply add to the “green” confusion. My sense is that overall it will at least increase consumer awareness.

To be fair Good Housekeeping has a long list of criteria that the product must meet in order to even be considered for application. This starts with the traditional product functionality testing, but also requires no animal testing, no ozone depleting compounds, it must meet the California’s Regulation for Reducing Volatile Organic Compound Emissions, have a reasonably neutral PH balance,  and the list goes on and on from here.

For manufacturing processes, they review things like greenhouse gas emissions, waste reduction measures, water usage, the distribution system, energy efficiency, and lastly the general level of corporate responsibility.

And for packaging materials this includes, weight of packaging, sources of packaging materials, use of certified materials in packaging, use of recycled content in packaging, inclusion of genetically modified organisms in packaging materials, biodegradability of packaging, use of PVC in packaging, and recyclability of packaging. Not a bad start.

We were happy to see that Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment was one of the first seven products to earn this new seal, as the recent press release announces.

And as those who follow our work already know, the Johnson & Johnson Aveeno line holds a special place in our heart and in our portfolio.