Comments on: Burt’s Bees buyout leaves a stinging sensation http://www.rootconcepts.com/blog.html/2007/11/21/burts-bees-buyout-leaves-a-stinging-sensation/ Root Concepts - Green Media & Sustainable Business from a Leader in Ecomedia. The North Bay's Premier Interactive Agency. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:31:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Tod Brilliant lives up to his name with a comment on Non-Essential Consuming http://www.rootconcepts.com/blog.html/2007/11/21/burts-bees-buyout-leaves-a-stinging-sensation/comment-page-1/#comment-7185 Tod Brilliant lives up to his name with a comment on Non-Essential Consuming Sat, 08 Dec 2007 23:01:20 +0000 http://www.rootconcepts.com/2007/11/21/burts-bees-buyout-leaves-a-stinging-sensation/#comment-7185 [...] post. Whether you agree or not, please let us hear from you…and now, Tod in a response to our post on Burt’s Bees being bought by Clorox for close to 1 billion [...] [...] post. Whether you agree or not, please let us hear from you…and now, Tod in a response to our post on Burt’s Bees being bought by Clorox for close to 1 billion [...]

]]> By: Tod Brilliant http://www.rootconcepts.com/blog.html/2007/11/21/burts-bees-buyout-leaves-a-stinging-sensation/comment-page-1/#comment-5993 Tod Brilliant Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:32:47 +0000 http://www.rootconcepts.com/2007/11/21/burts-bees-buyout-leaves-a-stinging-sensation/#comment-5993 A sad day, I suppose. However, this reminds me of the fundamental question that must be asked of all 'green' products: Are they necessary? That is, do we NEED lip balm or is it something we simply enjoy? If the latter, then there's nothing truly sustainable about creating superfluous products. Yes, this is the hard line, and I'm not advocating a relinquishment of all luxury products. Instead, I'm pointing out that the purchase of Burt's, while troubling in that a 'local hero' has been removed from the scene, is really more smoke and mirrors than actual loss. Whether's it's Clorox or Bob and Nancy Granola, products are products and it's our insatiable lust for them (no, my lips really do get dry - I hear the protests!) that has pushed us past the point of no return. Ben and Jerry's. Burt's. Prius. --> all absolute non-essentials. What difference does it make that all three are owned by major polluters? Oh, this is NOT a rhetorical question. What, exactly, is the difference? A sad day, I suppose. However, this reminds me of the fundamental question that must be asked of all ‘green’ products:

Are they necessary? That is, do we NEED lip balm or is it something we simply enjoy? If the latter, then there’s nothing truly sustainable about creating superfluous products.

Yes, this is the hard line, and I’m not advocating a relinquishment of all luxury products. Instead, I’m pointing out that the purchase of Burt’s, while troubling in that a ‘local hero’ has been removed from the scene, is really more smoke and mirrors than actual loss. Whether’s it’s Clorox or Bob and Nancy Granola, products are products and it’s our insatiable lust for them (no, my lips really do get dry - I hear the protests!) that has pushed us past the point of no return.

Ben and Jerry’s. Burt’s. Prius. –> all absolute non-essentials. What difference does it make that all three are owned by major polluters?

Oh, this is NOT a rhetorical question. What, exactly, is the difference?

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