Colgate-Palmolive: "F*ck the Environment! Buy These Stupid Toothbrushes!"

 

"The Colgate Wisp: Freshen Your Breath While You Destroy the Planet for Your Kids!"

The other day I receive an order from an online pharmacy and it comes with a free sample of a new product from Colgate called "Wisp". Basically, it is a plastic, one-time use toothbrush so that you can "freshen up multiple times throughout the day."

Hey - I'm all for fresh and minty breath, but really. Isn't this just another example of "just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should"?

These things cost more than 50 cents each, so if you use one three times a day, you are looking at $500+ per year to brush your teeth in between brushing your teeth.

But never mind that. How you spend your money is up to you.

The thing that got my wheels turning is that one has to assume that if a big company like Colgate-Palmolive put millions into R&D and will spend millions more manufacturing and marketing these things, that the company hopes it will be a big commercial success.

So imagine, say, 20 million people, brushing their teeth three times a day with these things and then throwing them out. That's 60 million little plastic toothbrushes, with the half-life of plutonium, going into our landfills every day. Multiply that by 365 days and that comes out to...9,000 bazillion pieces of unnecessary of polyethylene ending up in our landfills each year. That's plastic made from foreign oil. (Think of it this way: Every time you use a Wisp, a Saudi-backed terrorist gets his wings.) And they are packaged in individual plastic and paper containers.

Now, I am not a crazy environmentalist, but I am very much opposed to hypocrisy.

Which is why I find Colgate's supposed environmental stewardship to be such an insult. It's called "Respect for our Planet."

Um, yeah. If respect for our planet means throwing up a web page and then manufacturing utterly useless products that will sit in our landfills until the Sun burns out, you guys have it nailed.

PS: What lame marketing asshat came up with the oh-so-tragically hip web site for this product? I can just imagine the conversation among the marketing gurus around conference table at Colgate who actually approved this:

"Don, I think this web site really speaks to the kids!"

"You're right, Courtney. Those foul-mouthed Gen-yers will really get down to our funky beat!"

Let's start a pool as to how long it takes this product to die a quiet and deserved death. I give it a year, tops.

Comments

[Brenten]

Yea, but wait until your out on deployment where there is no sink, tooth brush, etc. then you really need this stuff. If you are traveling and making a 24 hour trip, you can't take a full bottle of toothpaste and everything with you because of the new FCC rules.

Or in a combat zone. Its not like your going to bring a mobile bathroom with you. Are you????

Yes its wasteful but you also have to look under different conditions your in which Colgate wisp can come in handy. Especially in emergency and where there is no oral hygiene available. Remember, tsuamani in japan, new orleans, etc. where are you going to find time for a toothpaste and tooth brush.

Your right, we don't want to be wasteful but in certain times and places we have no choice.

If you want to do something, have them make it bio degradable so its safe for the environment.

[convenient]

I wear Invisalign. I use one per day after my lunch at work before popping my aligners back in. Much better than hauling around a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste...

Thanks Colgate!!

[KindaPrepared]

Put a few of these in your "survival bag" along with emergency water, flashlight, food, other essential toiletries, etc. If you have to get evacuated and get out in a hurry you won't have time to run all over the house and remember your toothbrush. Spend the $2 and then forget about it. Probably not what Colgate was thinking when they made these, but maybe something you should think about.

[Kate "Bad Breath Ain't So Bad" M.]

I saw these in the Target flyer yesterday and couldn't believe my eyes. What the F are they thinking?

[Bill Baker]

But Dustin - I like pomegranate-flavored Triscuits.

[Dustin Sugasa]

These clowns wouldn't create these things if they didn't think people would buy them. America needs to take a step back and make things simple again. No more single-use toothbrushes...no more Triscuits in 14 different flavors...etc.