First, a bit of background. Tom's of Maine, a division of Colgate-Palmolive, is a maker of natural personal care products, such as toothpaste, soap and deodorant. The company does not use artificial products, nor do they test on animals. The majority of their products are vegan; that is, they don't contain any animal products.
Initial Observations: Tom's of Maine emphasizes the natural aspects of their products. The phrase "natural care" appears above their label and the word "natural" appears above "long-lasting care." This particular stick is lemongrass-scented, so a picture of dew-spotted grass is featured prominently. There is a letter from the company on the back, which states that the use of botanical hops prevents the growth of bacteria that cause odor. The other feature of the back is the ingredients list, which, like the Green Works detergent, contains the technical and common names of some items. For instance, Hamamelis virginiana is also known as Witch's Hazel.
The Sins
Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off: A claim suggesting that a product is green based on a narrow set of attributes without attention to other important environmental issues.
Tom's of Maine claims it's green because its products are natural. But, just because an ingredient comes from nature doesn't mean that it's not harmful in some way. Like Green Works, Tom's of Maine deodorant lists all of its ingredients on its website (http://tinyurl.com/3dwdqar), explains what each is and what its purpose is. Technically, if their definition of green involves natural ingredients, then their product is green; all of the ingredients can be found in nature. But, not all of them are good for the environment. For instance, the main ingredient, propylene glycol, is used in a lot of environmentally-unfriendly products, such as anti-freeze and and solvents. And, it has been known to release high levels of biochemical oxygen demand during degradation in surface waters, which consumes the oxygen that aquatic life needs to survive. It's also unclear from the website how the resources are extracted, which is an important part of being environmentally-friendly.
Sin of No Proof: An environmental claim that cannot be substantiated by easily accessible supporting information or by a reliable third-party certification.
As far as I can tell, Tom's of Maine deodorant doesn't make unsubstantiated environmental claims. Their claims that zinc ricinoleate can trap odor molecules is a little shaky. Consumers have indicated that the deodorant doesn't prevent odor, and even if it does, the qualities of zinc ricinoleate that prevent odor are relatively unclear.
Sin of Vagueness: A claim that is so poorly defined or broad that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood by the consumer.
This is probably Tom's of Maine deodorant's biggest sin. "Natural" is a very vague and broad term; it means something that comes from nature. But, as I've said before, something that comes from nature isn't necessarily beneficial. The propylene glycol the deodorant contains is a perfect example of this, as it can be harmful to aquatic ecosystems. If a consumer is looking for something that is kind to the environment, the term "natural" is likely to lead them astray.
Sin of Worshiping False Labels: A product that, through either words or images, gives the impression of third-party endorsement where no such endorsement exists.
Nowhere on the product or the website does the deodorant claim third-party endorsement of any kind, so it's free of this sin.
Sin of Irrelevance: An environmental claim that may be truthful but is unimportant or unhelpful for consumers seeking environmentally preferable products.
This category is often meant for products that advertise being free of an element that has been banned or generally isn't used. Tom's of Maine deodorant doesn't make strong environmental claims, other than being "natural," so we'll call it free of this sin as well.
Sin of Lesser of Two Evils: A claim that may be true within the product category, but that risks distracting the consumer from the greater environmental impact of the category as a whole.
Like detergent, deodorant is a product whose industry can be very harmful to the environment. Many deodorants use triclosan, which is an anti-bacterial agent that cannot be filtered out during waste water treatment. It often ends up in waterways, where it is toxic to algae. Therefore, it can damage aquatic ecosystems, killing the food source of many animals (http://tinyurl.com/ml6o4h). Deodorants also produce chloro fluro carbons, which can be damaging to the ozone layer (http://tinyurl.com/3gr2okw). So, the fact that Tom's of Maine uses natural ingredients is relatively true, but it distracts the consumer from the fact that artificially-produced deodorant is problematic for the environment.
Sin of Fibbing: Environmental claims that are simply false.
Except for being vague, it doesn't seem like the deodorant is claiming anything that isn't true.
Overall, Tom's of Maine deodorant is...kind of sinful. It does make the claim that it's "natural," which is both vague and often irrelevant when it comes to being environmentally-conscious. And, its main ingredient is pretty problematic if it gets into water supplies, and it has been linked to health problems in humans. But, this product is saved from heavy greenwashing because it doesn't make a lot of claims it can't back up. They present their mission and ingredients in a straightforward manner, without a lot of extra labeling and images. They're not trying to be something that they aren't. So, if a consumer is looking for a product that's pretty nice to the environment, Tom's of Maine is a good choice. It's certainly better than the vast majority of deodorant on the market, in terms of environmental consciousness.
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