In this video report , NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels looks into how large businesses are producing new "green" household goods, catering to a new demand for environmentally-friendly products. Michels talks to representatives from cleaning product company Clorox, which is trying to remake its "un-green" image by introducing a new brand of plant-based and environmentally friendly cleaning products. The report also highlights how difficult it is for consumers to determine if cleaning spray or insulation is actually environmentally friendly, and Michels talks to some experts that question the validity of the claims made by some of the products. Quotes "Green Works' cleaning products, made from coconuts, lemon, and corn ethanol, marked a big step for Clorox, it's first new brand in 20 years. Its traditional bleach made of sodium hypochlorite was regarded by some as anything but green, although the company defends it." - Spencer Michels, NewsHour correspondent "As the government's understanding, they're going to have to start making some strict guidelines as to what you can call green, what you can call sustainable. But that's going to be a long and very political battle before we come to some agreement." - Andrew Hargadon, University of California, Davis "There's money to be made in marketing your product as environmental, but that doesn't necessarily mean that everybody is using legitimate language or legitimate information to do that. And that's why third-party certification has become so important and, in fact, is an ever-increasing business across the board." - Chet Chaffee, Scientific Certification Systems Warm Up Questions 1. Do you have any "green," or environmentally-friendly products at home? Have you noticed more "green" products in stores or malls? 2. What does "environmentally-friendly" mean to you? Discussion Questions 1. What do you think the value is in buying "green" products? Why are companies offering them? 2. Did the report make you question the claims of these companies? How much should companies have to tell you about how "green" their products are? 3. Do you think buying "green" is a fad that will go away in a few years, or do you think people will continue to buy these products? Why or why not? Additional Resources Transcript