This month’s sustainable cleaning is sponsored by
www.kcprofessional.co.uk
What is interesting to note is that this has been occurring during one of the worst economic downturns in 70 years. When the worldwide economy started its free fall in 2008, many green advocates believed one of the unfortunate ramifications would be that the green and sustainable movement that had been evolving for several years would be put on the back burner. However, we now see that just the opposite has come to pass. This leaves many observers asking why.
The answer is not all that mysterious. As a matter of fact, the new thrust for the use of environmentally friendly products and designs as well as the increased focus on sustainability may actually be a result of the downturn. Businesses and organizations around the world were looking to cut costs and it finally became apparent that building green, buying green, and operating in a more sustainable manner can be a significant cost savings.
We now have enough studies that indicate worker performance often improves, as does student performance in schools, when green cleaning products and other green measures are implemented. These are often referred to as “intangible” cost savings because they occur as a result of using green cleaning products, tools, and equipment but do not directly relate to the bottom line.
But there are direct cost savings as well. For instance, many environmentally preferable cleaning chemicals are highly concentrated and filled in large, five-gallon containers. Often they last longer and result in more applications than conventional, non-green chemicals. And because they are packaged in larger containers, packaging costs are often less, a savings which can also be passed on to the end customer.
Another reason the use of environmentally
preferable and more sustainable cleaning products is increasing, with even greater growth forecast for the future, comes from our end customers, especially our largest customers. Many of the largest companies around the world are now demanding that their vendors provide proof that they are operating their business in a greener, more sustainable manner. According to a directive from mega- retailer Wal-Mart, their suppliers must “meet or exceed all social and environmental laws and regulations,” adding, “meeting these standards is not an option.”
Other green and sustainable trends Many cleaning professionals are unaware of just how much water is used in cleaning. An older carpet extractor, for instance, may use as much as two gallons of water per minute. If cleaning carpets in a hotel or large school, this can add up to hundreds of gallons of water just for this one task.
What is evolving now in North America and other parts of the world are cleaning procedures and equipment that use water more efficiently. For instance, low-moisture extractors that typically use less than a gallon of water per minute are now also becoming the new norm in the carpet cleaning industry. Some extractors even recycle water and cleaning solution, reducing water needs significantly. Further, carpet cleaning methods that use less water, such as shampoo and bonnet cleaning, and systems that use no water, such as encapsulation, are garnering greater interest because they use water more responsibly.
We can expect concerns about water to get an even bigger boost later in the year. That’s because revisions to the LEED program are going to move water conservation and
The future of our cleaning industry | TOMORROW’S CLEANING | 43 31 SUSTAINABLE CLEANING
more responsible water use up the ladder in importance. This will affect all aspects of building operation, including cleaning.
Finally, another Green and sustainable direction that is evolving in the cleaning industry is the implementation of “dashboard” systems that monitor and measure the use of such things as energy, water, fuel, and a facility’s carbon footprint. Earlier we mentioned that some large companies are now requiring their vendors to provide proof that they are taking steps to become Greener and more sustainable. These dashboard systems can provide that proof. But even better, they get administrators and service providers “thinking sustainable” to the point where it is a consideration in everything we do as we perform cleaning tasks and operate our businesses.
www.AshkinGroup.com.
Defining Sustainability We use the word sustainable to refer to cleaning chemicals and products that are derived from renewable ingredients. Many conventional cleaning chemicals are actually petroleum based, a nonrenewable ingredient. However, the word sustainable also refers to protecting people, planet, and profits. While still considering the bottom line, a sustainable company, in other words, works to provide decent wages and benefits for its workers; is a strong and supportive public citizen; and takes steps to protect the environment.
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