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What is GREEN CLEANING?
Cleaning is one of our most important daily activities. And, it’s
one of America’s largest industries. Billions of pounds of cleaning
products, plastic and paper disposables are used to clean commercial
buildings. Almost four million people work as custodians in those
buildings and tens of millions work in or visit commercial buildings
every day.
Yet, despite the billions of dollars we spend on cleaning, some
problems persist: indoor air pollution can be much higher than
outdoor air pollution; about 10% of workers file an injury claim
every year; allergies and chemical sensitivities are on the rise.
Green cleaning is one element of a comprehensive approach
to addressing these and other building operations and maintenance
issues.
Green cleaning seeks to provide additional protection for
the health of custodians, building occupants, and visitors, as well
as reduce the overall impact on the environment.
A green building operations and maintenance program follows an
integrated approach. It goes beyond the “appearance” of a building
and into the realm of health and environmental impacts. And, not
surprisingly, it can result in a more productive –
not just healthier – workplace.
To achieve all the benefits that can accrue to a green cleaning
program – worker productivity, reduced absenteeism and
injury claims, and a better overall workplace morale –
building owners and managers are integrating several key elements:*
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Use high-performing, yet less toxic products.
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Use equipment that reduces airborne contaminants.
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Modify cleaning and maintenance procedures (see reference below).
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Provide comprehensive and ongoing worker training.
* A comprehensive description of a fully integrated green cleaning
program can be found in
The Pennsylvania Green Building Operations and Maintenance Manual.
View it at
http://www.dgs.state.pa.us/dgs/lib/dgs/green_bldg/greenbuildingbook.pdf
Today, green cleaning is no longer being driven by environmental
groups. It is being driven by industry along the whole supply chain:
from suppliers of raw ingredients to manufacturers to distributors
to end users. All have found that it's not only good for the
environment, it’s good for business as well!
Who is GREEN CLEANING?
FOCUS on these potential new customers
Governments are going green.
Many governments require that government buildings be
"green-cleaned."
School districts are going green.
A growing number of school districts in the nations are going green.
Building owners are going green.
Industry predictions suggest that more than 25% of new building
construction will be "green" certified in the next 10 to 15 years.
Hospitals are going green.
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) now represents more than
7,000 facilities including 1,400 hospitals, 4,100 clinics, 1,000
nursing homes and 1,000 other types of facilities. More than 40
states have promotion and recruiting initiatives to spur the growth
of H2E.
Hotels are going green.
Virtually all hotel chains, large and small, have purchased
educational and informational materials from the Green Hotel
Association (GHA) to promote environmental responsibility in their
facilities.
Restaurants are going green.
Did you know there are more than 1,000 members of the Chefs
Collaborative whose mission includes conservation practices that
lessen … impact on the environment.
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