Let's wander into the Grove
- lizziedunavin
- Jul 30, 2020
- 3 min read
If you have been following my journey toward becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, you are likely tired of the sustainability posts. Although I don't think my career path will fall in the area of sustainability, the topic has peaked my interest! Even if the only behavior change I have an impact on is my own, I'm happy with that.
Still, I hope a blog post or a "sustainable product of the week" review may inspire my readers to make a change or two as well. With this inspiration comes a few warnings as well.
Recently I ordered a starter pack from Grove Collaborative. For $42.86 this pack included:
-Grove Collaborative all purpose cleaner concentrate
-Seedling by Grove 3-ply tree free toilet paper
-Grove Collaborative 100% recycled plastic trash bags
-Rooted beauty hydrating hand cream
-Grove Collaborative laundry Powder Packs
-Grove Collaborative wrinkle release spray
-Grove Collaborative dishwasher detergent spray
-Rooted beauty facial cleansing towelette
-Seedling by Grove jumbo roll tree-free paper towels
-Grove Collaborative glass spray bottle with silicone sleeve x2
-Grove Collaborative glass cleaner concentrate
-Grove Collaborative hydrating bar soap
-Grove Collaborative bubble up soap dispenser and brush set
-Seedling by Grove tree-free facial tissue
-Method Antibac Bathroom Cleaner
-Grove Collaborative walnut scrubber sponge
In my opinion, it was great value for the amount of items I had the chance to sample. Here are my pros and cons of each product and the Grove Collaborative subscription company as a whole.
Pros:
1. This company promotes little known sustainable products such as tree-free toilet paper, paper towels, and facial tissues. As well as plant based products such as the walnut scrubber sponge.
2. Grove values recycling with products such as 100% recycled trash bags and Rooted Beauty products with packaging made of 82% post consumer recycled materials.
3. Grove inspires decreased waste with their bubble up soap dispenser and brush set, glass bottles and silicone sleeves.
4. The Seedling by Grove line makes products entirely of bamboo, avoiding deforestation. On top of this, they have partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation and vow to plant 1 million trees by 2022.
Cons:
1. Although Grove claims to promote sustainability, they still produce a fair amount of plastic in the packaging of each item. Although they start down the sustainable road with the glass spray bottles, they quickly back track with the plastic packaging of the concentrate and the bathroom cleaner in the plastic bottle.
But to be fair, Grove considers themselves a "plastic neutral" company. Meaning, for all of the plastic they ship out, they will clean that amount of plastic out of the ocean. As a company they vow to not add to the worlds plastic dilemma. Even further, they vow to be a plastic free company by 2025.
2. The tree-free facial tissues were incredibly difficult to get out of the box. Who knows if this is due to the materials, or simply the packaging.
3. The dish detergent was effective, but not as effective as my typical dish pods. On top of that, they don't feel any more sustainable as they come in a similar plastic bag. This could be said for the laundry products as well. Although they may have less chemicals, they are not packaged with more environmentally friendly materials.
To summarize, I appreciate what Grove Collaborative is attempting to do. There are products I would absolutely order again! The toilet paper was amazing and the paper towels worked wonders. I love the bamboo based products and will absolutely continue to support.
As for the rest, I am going to hold off on ordering again until Grove works toward their plastic free promise. I think I will stick with Blueland's products simply for the reason of packaging. The more you know, the more you grow! I'm happy I had the opportunity to try each and every one of these products so I can spread the word to all of you. I hope with these constant posts, I can help push you in the direction of sustainable behavior change without wasting your money on company's that are not yet meeting the golden standard of sustainability.
Comments