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The Definition of Green
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Michael_Richmond]Michael
Richmond
I had occasion today to encounter a question that was very simple
yet profound. It was "What is the standard for Green?" The EPA has
recorded the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, but these are not
universal. If you ask a person interested in the biosphere type of
Green, the phrase "Sustainable" is the major issue, questioning
whether will an item's use will be depleted or can it be sustained
naturally. Sustainability is a big issue in a world of consumerism,
but does not encompass the definition of Green for other areas of
Green concern
Those interested in the oceans are concerned about "Marine Life" and
how man has impacted the animal life in the oceans. It looks at the
discharges poured into rivers, lakes, and the oceans asking if we
are harming the animals that feed us. If mercury goes into the
water, will it return to us in the tuna we eat at lunch? So, the
pollution of the water is a part of the Green definition.
"Green House Gases" seem to preoccupy those concerned about the
atmosphere. In an industrial world, the manufacture of the things we
wish to market creates a lot of waste that we need to dump
somewhere. The EPA has long fought the dumping of chemicals from
manufacturing plants and the amount of pollutant coming out of the
smoke stacks of our factories.
Those concerned with the preservation of nature argue that the Green
movement stems from the preservation of the tree, forest, plains,
and natural habitat from the forces of developers. From the energy
side of Green, we are concerned about the "depletion" of our
resources. So, you can quickly see that "Going Green" is not the
same for any strategic side of the Green Movement.
The Green Clean Institute is focused on the Green Office, Green
Buildings, and Green Maintenance of the workplace. This is something
that needs definition, so here is how we DEFINE GREEN. Green
Maintenance is concerned for two aspects of our biosphere (in this
case, buildings). One aspect of the Green evolution is what is the
definition of Green for the janitorial and building maintenance
world.
Green as we define it is:
The Immediate Impact of our products and practices, and
The Residual Impact of our products and Practices.
If we are causing harm at either of these two levels, whatever we
are doing is not a Green practice. It is the broader concept of
Green Practices that define those who work on and in our homes,
school, offices, and public buildings that define our contribution
or damage to the environment. People are impacted by the workers who
are involved in the building, cleaning, and maintaining of our
buildings. This has little to do with the outside world except that
there are other issues out there as well. Inside a building are
distinct issues of a smaller biosphere that can quickly turn into a
sick building or create Building Related Illness (BRI). The spread
of disease is a community issue that requires knowledgeable people
to break the cycle of contagion. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) cannot be
neglected because the floors are dull and require very caustic
chemicals to strip and finish the floors. Every piece of furniture
added, every chemical used, and every sick person adds to the
well-being of the others in the recirculated air of that biosphere.
The Green Practices Initiative is a new effort to retrain our
industry with the new wave of innovations that are hopefully going
to provide us a better world, a better workplace, and a better
cleaning program. Our business is not an environmental program in
the tradition sense. While we all want to be a part of the solution
rather than a part of the problem, I know that we have a sphere of
influence that is peculiar to our industry. It is here that we can
make a difference as well as a business income. This is a new
website that will be looking for Green Editors to contribute to a
Wikipedia type project in the Green Practices Initiative. While in
construction right now, those who would like to write articles for
Green Practices should inquire at the website.
Green Clean News is a parallel effort as the project is about a
wider area of Green News including Green Homes, Green Office, Green
Buildings, Green Products, and Green Innovations. Green Editors will
be chosen to contribute news articles in there selected area of
Green news. Educating people on the importance of a Green workforce
is difficult, but it starts with informing people and getting those
to set the agenda, issue the contracts, and act as decision-makers
to require more than Green products. They must require Green Clean
Certified workers (Green Janitors) including a Green Practices
Clause in all contracts and bid submissions.
Michael Richmond is the director of the [http://www.greencleaninstitute.com
]Green Clean Institute, contributor to the [http://www.greencleancompliant.com
]Green Clean Compliant blog, and chief adviser for the Green
Practices Initiative.
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