What Is Green Cleaning For Your Business

Firstly, what do I mean by
"green" cleaning? At its most
basic, green cleaning refers to
using cleaning substances and
techniques that make a smaller
impact on the environment
than traditional cleaning
substances and techniques.
This somewhat vague definition
includes a vast array of
cleaning services, and today
any commercial cleaning
company will tell you that they
are using "green cleaning."
Unfortunately, many of these
services are misleading.
Replacing one cleaning
chemical with a less toxic
option or supplying recycled
toilet paper can be defined as
"green cleaning," but the
actual impact on the
environment is practically zero.
A true green cleaning solution
changes every aspect of
cleaning your office or facility.
All cleaning substances should
be replaced with
environmentally friendly
alternatives and cleaning
techniques should be
revolutionized to avoid
unnecessary waste. Once you
have chosen your green
cleaner carefully, there are
many advantages to
environmentally friendly
cleaning.
Healthier Office or Facility
Green cleaning has the
potential to vastly improve the
quality of the air in your office
or facility. Why should you
care? Because you, your
employees, and your
customers are breathing in that
air. Traditional cleaning
methods use chemicals that
produce VOC's (Volatile
Organic Compounds) and tend
to stir up dust and dirt into the
air rather than capturing them
for subsequent removal from
the building. VOC's can be
dangerous. According to the
EPA, they can cause "eye,
nose, and throat irritation;
headaches, loss of
coordination, nausea; damage
to liver, kidney, and central
nervous system. Some organics
can cause cancer in animals;
some are suspected or known
to cause cancer in humans." (
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/
voc.html ) A good green
cleaner will use substances
that reduce or eliminate VOC
release. A great green cleaner
will also use capture and
removal cleaning techniques to
eliminate dust and dirt in the
air and in your lungs.
With 30% of U.S. workers
suffering from health problems
caused by "Sick Building
Syndrome," companies are
vastly underutilizing their
human assets and
underestimating the benefits of
switching to green cleaning. A
2002 study by the Indoor
Environment Department at the
Lawrence Berkley National
Design Laboratory in California
found that the improved air
quality by use of green design,
building materials, and
technologies can lower sick
building symptoms by 20% to
50%. In particular, employees
who suffer from asthma will see
a large improvement in their
health and productivity when
dust and VOCs are removed
from the office airspace. Get
the most out of your employees
by keeping them healthy with
green cleaning.
Fiscal Benefits
I know that, in the end, a
businessperson will always
look at the bottom line. Can
this help your business be
more profitable? The short
answer is, yes. Healthier
employees are more productive
employees. Less sick time will
result in more work completed
and more return on your salary
investment. In addition, more
tangible fiscal benefits are
available in the form of
government incentives for
businesses that embrace
environmentally friendly
practices, with green facility
cleaning being one of the main
criteria. The U.S. Green
Building Council's Leadership in
Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED®) Green Building
Rating System ™ is the
nationally accepted benchmark
for the design, construction
and operation of high
performance green buildings.
By switching to green cleaning,
your business can quickly and
easily qualify for LEED points,
and the incentives that come
with them.