Clorox And Jeff Corwin: Together At Last To Help Frogs

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by Michael dEstries February 29, 2008
Categories: Animals
Tags: .

corwin.jpg

I just received a feel-good press release detailing a new relationship between Discovery Channel’s Jeff Corwin and Clorox to focus worldwide attention on a deadly fungus that is destroying frogs and other amphibian populations. The project revolves around a new film called The Vanishing Frog — which send Corwin on a “worldwide mission” to uncover clues to the frog’s decline while also revealing the benefits of environmental protection. Here’s a bit from the description,

“’Jeff is so passionate about raising awareness for this crisis and has such a deep knowledge of the issues affecting these fascinating creatures that he is the perfect person to take us on this journey of discovery, ‘ noted Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet. ‘We’re thrilled that our partner Clorox has been an ardent advocate for the amphibian crisis and is taking that commitment even further by partnering with us to produce THE VANISHING FROG documentary project.’”

Apparently, Clorox’s regular bleach is registered with the EPA as a fungicide — which is used to sterilize boots, instruments, and clothing used in infected areas. Everyone’s happy, right? Well, while the frogs are getting some help, let’s not forget that Clorox is a company that continues to test their products on animals. This includes, but is not limited to, mice, rats, rabbits, hamsters, and other furry friends. Until this testing is stopped, we strongly urge you to consider alternatives — such as Method or Seventh Generation. While it’s great to see a company supporting any initiative to help another creature, we think Clorox might do greater good to change within. If they get that far, what they do outside the corporation will hold more weight.


Categories: Animals
Tags: .

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • Brianne

    I agree with you Michael! It seems that the Clorox company is trying to jump into the green market–they recently purchased Burt’s Bees, they’ve come out with a line of somewhat green cleaning products, and now this pairing with Jeff Corwin. However, I think a great way for Clorox to show they are trying to make changes would be to stop testing on animals, and Jeff Corwin, being the animal lover that he is, should not be pairing up with Clorox. It sends an inaccurate message about Clorox–they seemingly care about animals yet have no qualms testing their products on them. Yet another instance of greenwashing!

  • maddison

    i watch the animal planet all the time, but it outrages me that in all their dog programmes (SPCA) they feed them with eukanuba or iams even though these are the worst possible companies (procter and gamble) for animal welfare.

  • http://www.myspace.com/cangem Amber

    THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

    I’m so glad there is a shifting focus of truly green companies that are cruelty free too! How can companies say “Yay! Go earth! Go animals!” and then conduct unneeded testing on animals. Just because it’s supposedly “All Natural” doesn’t mean the company didn’t kill thousands of animals to make that product. We have SOOO many choices out there and animal testing is no longer required.

  • http://www.laraadler.com Lara Adler

    I just saw the add for this initiative and was instantly disappointed in both Jeff Corwin & Animal Planet. Not only is the Clorox company responsible for making products that are harmful to humans, but obviously harmful to the environment as well. So in an effort to “protect” these frogs, they are very likely putting the ecology that they inhabit in grave danger. They may just be sanitizing boots and tools, but where does the bleach tainted water go when they are done? A treatment facility? likely not as they will be in the middle of the jungle…likely it goes onto the ground, into the ground waters and aquifers. So we may save the frogs from this fungus, but destroy other flora and fauna that is also integral to the survival of the ecosystem. Are there other alternatives? Sure! There are plenty of non-toxic, environmentally safe sanitizers that are equally as effective as bleach for killing germs, micro-organisms, and fungus.

    Shame on Animal Planet for putting advertising revenues over ethics, and for Jeff Corwin, who should know better, supporting this effort.

  • http://www.inspiredprotagonist.com Jeffrey Hollender, CEO Seventh Generation

    I think it’s worthy to note that while there is not yet a clear causal relationship between using bleach and harming frogs, chlorine chemistry plays a problematic role in environmental & health problems and household bleach does generate dangerous chemicals during manufacture use and disposal.

    As chlorine (along with bromine and other halogens) is the basis for the chemistry of many bad actors with a myriad of eco-toxic effects including carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, and endocrine disruption, and there is a clearly negative relationship between chlorine chemistry and frogs. There is data suggesting that the use of household bleach results in the formation of a host of chlorinated compounds, just as it is well-known that the use of chlorine to disinfect drinking water (as well as wastewater discharged to
    waterways) creates many disinfection by-products which would not be particularly good for frogs to be exposed to.

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