FWC announce strategic alliance


The Federation of Window Cleaners is pleased to announce forming a strategic alliance with the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) based in the USA and the Australian Window Cleaning Federation (AWCF) based in Australia.


The immediate goals of this Alliance are:


to document and promote accurate technical information related to window/glass cleaning;


to develop a written ASTM glass cleaning Standard to be used worldwide;


to establish working relationships with glass fabricators and manufacturers within the international glass industry; and


to advance scientific research on the causes of tempered glass scratching and improvements in cleaning methods.


For additional information please visit www.IWCA.org, www.f-w-c.co.uk/ or www.awcf.org.au


British Cleaning Council backs daylight saving change to boost economy, cut carbon emissions and improve quality of life


The British Cleaning Council has lent its support to the Lighter Later Campaign, which wants to move UK time forward by one hour all year round.


The campaign, which is part of 10:10 Climate Change, wants to see Britons gain an extra hour of daylight in the evenings and move UK time in line with continental Europe. Both Labour and the Conservatives have supported its proposals.


Research has indicated that adopting the same time zone as the EU would add up to £3.5bn and 80,000 jobs each year to the UK economy. These gains would come from adding three additional trading hours with Europe and extending the window with the Far East.


Lighter Later adds that lighter evenings in March and October would also benefit the tourism industry, cut road accidents and both reduce electricity use and carbon emissions –with a total decrease of around 447,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every winter.


Mark Woodhead, Chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said: “Every business knows the importance of using resources as efficiently as possible, and light is no exception. By synchronising the British clocks with our largest business partners in Europe, we would gain valuable extra trading time every working day, while other sectors, particularly the tourism and leisure industries, will see substantial gains from staying open for longer.


There are also important health benefits to be reaped from this change, as having more daylight in our lives will give us more opportunities to exercise and enjoy the outdoors, making us all happier and healthier.”


Opinion polls show strong support for the change across the United Kingdom. The bill, sponsored by Conservative MP Rebecca Harris, is currently awaiting committee stage in Parliament.


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