Check out our green cleaning roundup for 2017!
Green Cleaning in 2017
With the passing of anti-greenwashing laws in California, effective green cleaning has made significant in-roads into homes, schools, and businesses.
Numerous studies have established that not only are green cleaning products and processes safer and more efficient than traditional cleaning methods, but they can help stimulate more business and better performance from students and employees.
If you haven't taken the opportunity this year to review the advantages of green cleaning for your organization, we have a quick list of several reasons why you may want to take a closer look.
The End of Greenwashing
Late in 2017, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law California Senate Bill 258--The Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017.
This law forces manufacturers to fully disclose the entire list of chemicals contained in their cleaning products on the containers, as opposed to the current practice, which allows them to conceal chemicals if the misuse of the product does not lead to immediate harm.
This loophole has allowed manufacturers to label cleaning products as green even though they have been proven to contain highly toxic chemicals known to cause a series of serious health issues, including:
- Damage to the heart and lungs.
- Reproductive issues, and;
- Endocrine and nervous system damage.
See Also:
It's Better for Students
Student and teacher absences due to illness is a crucial factor negatively impacting:
- Performance.
- Grades.
- Student placement, and;
- Future employment prospectives.
Poor indoor air quality in enclosed spaces, such as classrooms, has been shown to contribute to breathing issues, poor health, and reduced cognitive function.
This issue is exasperated by the introduction of airborne toxic chemicals released by conventional cleaning products into rooms with limited ventilation and low-quality filtration systems.
Conversely, switching to certified green cleaning products and practices has been shown to significantly improve cognitive function and reduce absentee and presenteeism by eliminating the sources of indoor air pollution, including dust, mold spores, and chemical toxins.
See Also:
Employees and Businesses Perform Better
Introducing green cleaning into businesses doesn't just improve the health of workers, it has been shown to increase their performance roughly 16% over comparable companies who use conventional cleaning methods.
Interestingly, the performance improvement primarily stems from the employee's appreciation for their workplace--a direct result of the increased worker engagement and education necessary for a business to implement a successful green program.
Additionally, simple things, such as indoor climate control and increased exposure to natural sunlight, as well as noise reduction, have all been shown to improve an employee's sense of wellbeing, health, cognitive function, and job satisfaction.
See Also:
Because People Come to Work Sick
Nearly 80% of the U.S. workforce admits to knowingly coming into work ill, or with flu-like symptoms--all with full knowledge of their potential to infect other people in the office and negatively impact business production.
Given that approximately half of the surveyed workers said they would give up everything, from social media to paid time off to avoid getting sick all year, the aberrant behavior appears counterintuitive.
Much of this very expensive behavior can be laid at the feet of the employer itself, with many workers claiming to come into work because they believe it makes them a hard worker, a sentiment seemingly validated by the opinion of fellow workers.
Additionally, employer expectations of attendance, combined with a workers psychological attachment to their duties, have combined to create an environment that reduces profit margins, as opposed to maintaining or improving them.
Green cleaning products and practices have been proven in repeated studies to reduce and kill the harmful germs and bacteria that make people sick, at a lower cost than comparable conventional methods, and without introducing toxic chemicals into the air and water, further contributing to the worker illness, poor performance, and associated health care expenses.
See Also:
Takeaway
Green, sustainable cleaning practices are rapidly becoming the standard across multiple industries.
The increase in popularity is due to the demonstrated advantages, such as improvements in health and performance, as well as health-related expenses, and costs associated with natural resource use and waste.
California has recently made tremendous strides by forcing manufacturers to fully disclose the chemicals contained in their products, clearing the way for certified green products to rise into the mainstream.
If you would like to learn more about all the fantastic money saving trends in green cleaning, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253
