Aren't All These 'Eco-Friendly' Products Just a 'Green-Washing' Lie? (Perhaps)

[View this email in your browser]( Small Talk: The Great Green-spiracy Hello, Regular readers of The Better India may have noticed that we have recently focused heavily on eco-friendly and sustainable living. This has been an offshoot of our second offering - [Karnival.com]( a platform that connects aware and conscientious customers with MSMEs who do not hurt the planet or the lives of their workers. And though we have learnt more than we ever knew about such things, we also learnt quite a bit about 'green-washing'. 'Greenwashing', broadly, is the tendency of some brands, companies or even people, to pretend that some items or methods or even fads are far superior to everything else because it is 'green'. As you may have figured out, this is not exactly true in any sense. A product can be helpful to the tribals who make it, but may not be eco-friendly. It may be eco-friendly but uses rare ingredients in such huge quantities that it is not sustainable. It may be made using very traditional methods but may be the product of child labour. There are many such complications. We didn't get it right always either. A famous example is when we suggested readers try out clay pots, iron utensils and soapstone vessels - all within a few days. A confused reader spoke for many when they commented - "So which one are you claiming is good? Or is it all just a bid to sell the pots?" A good point. And with due apologies, we released a whole new article, telling our readers which utensils could be used for what. Moments like these, and there have been a few in this long journey of discovery, have led to a firm understanding that we must not only highlight the good of the 'green', but we must also keep an eye out for the wild claims, the unreasonable assumptions, and worst of all, the blanket statements. We will always try to make sure that the products, diets and lifestyle suggestions we speak about have verified claims, and will always try to point out to readers which claims are, frankly, greenwash. Hopefully, this will help keep us all on the straight path to some real change. We need to be better to ourselves and the world. And we need to do it right. In that spirit, here is the first of our attempts to have a more nuanced conversation - [Green Vs Fraud: How Eco-Friendly Is Vegan Leather?]( - Vinayak Hegde [Beds to Homes, Kerala Doctor Has Been Providing Free Palliative Care for 16 Years]( [At 90, This Chandigarh Grandma Launched Her Startup With ‘Besan Ki Barfi’!]( [Kerala Electrician Starts Organic Paddy Farming; Opens India’s First ‘Rice Park’]( A Better World Starts at Home When you buy a cleaning product, you expect it to do only one thing- Clean. And clean thoroughly, at that. We use a variety of scents, soaps, detergents, bleaching agents, softeners, polishes, and specialized cleaners for bathrooms, glass, drains, and ovens, and what not to make our house smell sweeter, feel nicer and look cleaner. But, what we conveniently forget is that the very chemicals that are harsh on tough stains are also harsh on our health in the longer run. In fact, some cleaners are amongst the most toxic products found in households. Studies state that the poisonous fumes from these cleaners are carcinogenic in nature and also responsible for respiratory issues. We’ve created [The Better Home]( you shouldn’t have to choose between what’s effective and what is good for you. Created from biodegradable and eco-friendly ingredients, these cleaners are safe for you and the planet. Get exclusive early access to the limited edition range of [The Better Home]( cleaning products, check it out [here](. [Try it Now]( Do share this newsletter with all your friends and family on [Facebook]( [Twitter]( WhatsApp. And if you wish others to subscribe to The Better India's daily dose of positivity, do share [this URL]( with them. Thanks for reading! [Follow Us On: Facebook]( [Follow Us On: Twitter]( [Follow Us On: Instagram]( [Latest Updates: The Better India]( Copyright © 2020 The Better India, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted for it at our website. Our mailing address is: The Better India The Better India Office 402, 4th Floor, Prestige Feroze 74, Cunningham RoadBangalore 560052 India [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing]( [TBI Shop on Facebook]( [TBI Shop on Instagram]( [TBI Shop Website](