Since the information I was able to cull from the Stop & Shop display was limited, I logged onto the Method website for more dirt. The look of the site is (not surprisingly) extremely clean: A verdant color palette juxtaposes lime greens, sunny yellows, and soothing aquas against a sterile white background—hues that are traditional female favorites symbolizing refreshment, tranquility, and nature (and likely clues as to the intended target audience).

The homepage's top navbar neatly spells out the site's main content areas:

• People Against Dirty, which includes a blog and an "Advocates" section, profiling everyday people who have jumped on the Method bandwagon
  
  
• What We're For, which divulges the brand's objectives
  
  
• Products, which showcases the brand's inventory, from all-purpose and specialty surface cleaners to laundry and "aircare" aroma products, plus the bloq line of body lotions, creams, and washes
  
  
• Quick Shop, an online shopping experience that lets you immediately order the products you want

The gospel of green is also eloquently spelled out on the top navbar in the categories of efficacy (how well the products actually work), safety, environment (a shout-out to Method's biodegradable materials, recycled containers, and the brand's refusal to test its products on animals), packaging (the company claims you'll be amazed at what a frisky industrial engineer can do with a piece of plastic), and fragrance (sour milk = bad; magnolia = good). What makes it a good read is that the missive isn't delivered in typical preachy EPA-speak. In fact, the irreverent tone (no dull janitorial jargon here) even makes cleaning the floor seem sexy (I don't think I've ever heard the curves of a mop referred to as "hot," but Method somehow pulls it off).

There is some redundancy on the site that could use a bit of tidying: It seems as if it would make sense to combine the "The Dirt" link (recent press releases and other news about Method) with "The Buzz" (media coverage of the brand). And the "Help Fight Dirty" link on the bottom homepage navbar is more or less duplicated at the top of the page under the "People Against Dirty" section.

Desperate housewives may also be disappointed not to find more utilitarian functions that some of the competitor cleaning lines boast—in other words, demonstrating how to use Method's products to actually clean something. Simple Green, another environmentally friendly household cleaning line, offers a cleaning-tips section and a handy product-comparison chart that shows where in your house you should use each product (though Simple Green could take a lesson or two from Method in terms of web design—its site was more cluttered than my garage).

Meanwhile, Biokleen documents common household problems (from clogged drains to corroded dishwashers) and which of its products serve as solutions to these troubles. Natural Choices highlights a "Help With Specific Cleaning Products" section. In contrast, Method's site shows off a club of well-groomed ladies in V-neck sweaters and tennis dresses, but they certainly don't appear to be on their way to scrub the toilet (and there's not much pragmatic instruction on the site that would assist them if they got down and dirty on the housekeeper's day off).

What's truly brilliant about the site, though, is the interactive nature of its marketing efforts. In Method's own words, they rely on "positive word of mouth…the most time-honored, low-tech marketing known to mankind." Guests can send friends clever, cute e-cards that feature pictures of the Method products and a customized greeting (which, in effect, spreads the Method message), and visitors can become one of the aforementioned "advocates" simply by filling out an online form.

Most effective overall is Method's ability to attract visitors and make them feel as if they're not just buying a product—they've stumbled upon an environmental advocacy portal and are now faced with an important call to action. Even I was inspired to rethink my reliance on some of the toxic offenders hiding out in my bathroom and kitchen.

And a site that promotes a healthy environment on the Internet would make Al Gore—who champions the former while having "invented" the latter—doubly happy.