It may sound like semantics, but there is a difference between Cleaning Green and Green Cleaning. The first indicates that the janitorial services is using Green products. The second indicates that they are using a Green practice as well as Green Products. In the belief that Green cleaning is more than sliding in a line of Green products, there is the obvious need to understand that products do not mean the workforce is following Green procedures.
Green products are an important aspect of the the process, but Green cleaning is defined as a system of cleaning that promotes healthy surroundings for building occupants, and is also less detrimental to the environment. It is a concern for the impact of the cleaning process on the facility. Remember, defining the Green Janitor means (1) The Immediate Impact of what is done, and (2) the Residual Impact of what is done.
The Green Practices Initiative raises questions that some people do not want raised. The education of the workforce is a cost and a time commitment that they wish to avoid. It is easier to resupply the chemicals used and call that "Cleaning Green" than to train the workforce in "Green Cleaning" tactics. There is a difference though it may be of small concern to some. Do you want a mechanic who know how to replace parts until the car is fixed, or do you want a technician who diagnoses the problem before tearing things apart? A little training can make a big difference. We are committing more an more duties for the Green mandates coming down. Why aren't we training them to do the job as professionals (Technicians) instead of task-oriented broom pushers.
A HEPA vacuum is a good choice for the dust recycled in the air by most vacuums, but it is an extra expense and they suffer from a loss in suction when they are not maintained. Adding a sweeping compound to minimize dust is not just a good idea. It too adds to the overall building health. Are the workers aware of health hazards of biohazard waste, mold that appears in the building, or use of pesticides? Are feather dusters better than microfiber clothes? Is the humidity a factor in the health of a building? There are many unresolved issues that the workforce needs to understand if they are going to fulfill the new mandates that are coming down in the next year?
Green Practices means that we need to do more than trade in the old spray bottle for a new one containing a mystery liquid that is supposed to be Green. It means that the person doing the work understand why something is Green or why it isn't. Notice that the latest MRSA scare drove the schools and offices affected into a real panic in sanitizing. They broke ranks from Green products to bring in the "Good Stuff" that was not Green at all. Yet, had they been advised about the best disinfectant products and procedures, they would have been able to better sanitize their facilities and keep to the Green Program they have promised to follow.
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