GREEN BUSINESS VIEWS

Posts Tagged ‘green office’

There are good reasons to considered a Green business certification and installing a sustainability officer.  People think they’re healthier and more productive after moving their office space into “green” buildings, according to a recent study published on the American Journal of Public Health’s website.  This is according to a USA Today article taken from Associated Press.  There is more than perception involved in this equation because we know that poor indoor air quality is part of good health and good productivity.  Everyone has felt the afternoon dip in energy, the nagging headache, or even sleepiness that comes without good cause.

The same article says, “The authors estimated a small benefit to employees suffering from asthma and respiratory allergies. Those people would gain 1.75 more work hours per year working in the new building because they would take less sick time.  The biggest boost comes in perceived productivity.  The study’s authors extrapolated that employees could each work about 39 more hours a year in the new building because of different working conditions such as better light, air quality and ventilation.”

This is not only from possible outgassing from building components and furniture in the office.  Bad air is the byproduct of the cleaning service, pesticide use, poor ventilation, pollution infiltration, and the daily wear and tear of every business.

However, getting an building or office on the path to improvement does not come from casual concern.  One of the notable efforts to the sustainability officer is to address the IAQ along with the many issues of making a company Green.  In a holistic approach to environmental improvement, IAQ, energy reduction, water and waste management, lighting, supply chain, and numerous other issues are brought into the planning.  The air quality is a factor, but so is the quality of the lighting.  We have not yet touched on the carbon footprint issue or Green IT.

To solve these issues before the government start clamping down on compliance, more and more Fortune 500 companies are developing Certified Sustainability Officers (CSO) and getting them into a good training program.  The best training program for any level sustainability officer is found at http://www.CertifiedSustainabilityOfficer.com or http://www.CorporateSustainabilityOfficer.com.

Existing sustainable officers are encouraged to look into The Sustainable Forum to build their resources and community impact.

One would think that a business claiming to be environmentally friendly and making strides to protect workers and the planet wouldn’t be a scary place, but many workers and visitors have been caught by situations that have caused a chilling shudder to run up their spines.  When we think of a Green workplace, the implied message is that this facility is not hazardous to our health, and there are no latent threats that will one day rise up to threaten all that we believe.

The most common Green business nightmare is the accidental visit to the place called the janitor’s closet.  What seems to be a relatively clean building with a nightly crew of unknown people who quietly visit every room of your facility, may not be what you think.  Far more sinister revelations lurk behind the door of the janitor’s closet that will tell us more than we really want to know.  But, there is always that curiosity that drives the unsatisfied few to find out what really lies beyond the obvious.  Certainly, the place that holds all the cleaning products must be he safest place of all, right?

Opening the door to this scarcely-visited place reveals a less-than-happy depository of oddities.  If you dare to enter, those with environmental sensitivities immediately feel a hauntingly-odd feeling that this is someplace that the day people are not suppose to see.  There are the things you will expect to see.  There are brooms, mops, and buckets in less than pristine condition.  There is also a set of shelves that are crammed full of an amazing array of bottles.  Some are used to clean the toilet bowl, and these are found to contain acids that can’t be good for people.  There is the white bottle of bleach that everyone knows is a dangerous chemical.  The bleach bottle is right next to the ammonia bottle that is a product mixed with water to clean windows.  You never want to know what will happen when you mix ammonia and bleach in a common container.  The gas is produced by this unfortunate combination can destroy your lungs and could kill a person in a matter of minutes.

On the floor one can see large containers of floor stripper.  This common product is so caustic that it will blister your skin or cause blindness if not immediately washed out with water.  Next to the stripper is the floor finish that is a combination of acrylics and a zinc compound.  It isn’t nearly as caustic as the stripper, but it too emits something called volatile organic compounds that the EPA warns that  consumers can have acute and chronic consequences.  At this point, the worried visitor is tempted to hold his breath because he suddenly realizes that he is breathing a massive combination of potentially hazardous airborne poisons.

Also, in this room is an odd looking machine called a buffer.  This is used to buff the stripped and newly-finished hard floors to a glossy shine.  If you were around when the stripper product was applied at night, you would feel a choking impulse in your throat, and your eyes would smart and ache.  When the floor finish is put down, these fumes seem less intense, but every product that dries emits a different kind of volatile organic compounds.  So don’t be fooled by the milder smell.  When the workers turn on the buffer, you might notice that they wear masks because the buffer throws billions of small particles into the air that contain zinc and other compounds.  Of course, since this is done at night, all the workers will detect in the morning are the shiny floors and a residual chemical smell.

Looking further on the shelves are aerosol sprays that can’t be good for the atmosphere.  Some contain ozone depleting chemicals.  Others have compressed gases that are released into the closed air moving system of the building.  There are also a variety spray bottles with cleaning solutions in them.  Of course, the required Material Safety Data Sheets that the law requires to be posted in these areas are missing.  That is reason for further concerns.  Some cleaning products foam and fizzle, which means that there is a chemical reaction causing a gas release of some kind.    There are cans of Comet-like scouring powers, old rags and mops, and other bottles than have an unknown purpose.  No wonder there is a feeling of deja vu that makes the visit something that we are anxious to end.

One thing anyone might recognize is the idle vacuum cleaner.  We should be somewhat reassured that this is evidence of the competency of the service until you dare to feel the bag only to find that it probably hasn’t been emptied for more than week or more.  The old festering dirt inside is routinely stirred up each evening.  Making things worse, these machines are not even the well-known HEPA vacuums that will remove more of the dirt from the air.  These are the cheaper models that blow microscopic particles though each and every room that is vacuumed.  Perhaps, it would have been wise to use a Green certified janitorial service instead of the lowest bidder.

Another rare discovery is made when one that happens to be in the office after-hours.  Buildings are often lonely places when the day crew has gone.  This time the nightly visitation is not from a group of workers who speak an odd language, but from a crew of workers clad in Ghostbuster-type outfits carrying tanks and hoses.  This are the pest killers who arrive every month or so to spray chemicals that are intended to destroy pests and vermin.  Our visitor might be mildly assured that “This stuff is safe for humans,” but it will kill everything else!  Few people ever know what products are being sprayed about, but these ingredients add yet another layer of potentially dangerous chemicals injected into the air that is recycled throughout the building day after day.

During this daring visit of the most unlikely places in the building, a brave soul might hazard a visit to the basement or some storage area.  Here he will find all the things that the business once thought were necessary, but now reside in the limbo area of the building waiting to be eventually sent out to the trash.  As he enters, his nose detects the familiar but pungently unlikable smell of mold and mildew.  This happens all the time in dark and dank places.   Cardboard boxes, old paper, and moisture from condensation or a slow leak are the perfect environment for mold.  Mold produce yet another danger to your health known a microbial volatile organic compounds.  The air exchange system faithfully moves air through this area as well as the rest of the building.

Perhaps, the workers in this company will recall the new paint in various areas, the new carpeting, or even the new furniture brought into the building over the last year.  Each of these additional improvements actually brought even more fumes, smells, and outgassing opportunities that also befoul the air.  Most would have thought that these improvements were positive additions to the office, but they added even more to the increasingly toxic cloud of air that workers breathe every day.  Fragrances that have a chemical composition also should be considered air pollution.

Workers bring in even more problems by sneezing germs into the air, introducing bacteria to the facility, and preparing food with attendant smells.  The greatest shock of all is that this company is promoted as a Green business.  Well, they did change some of the lights over to CFLs and made a corporate decision to buy recycled paper for all copiers.  Oh yes, they even bought a Green logo off the Internet.  But, the facts are clear that this is a nightmare as a Green business.  The indoor air quality impacts the health of each and every worker.  They breathe this accumulation of toxic substances 365 days a year for what could be a twenty year employment term.

The reality is that a truly Green company must address the indoor air quality as a fundamental of all other environmental improvements.   Recycling, energy savings, and source reduction are the other parts of a Green or sustainable business.  Unless a company addresses the Green certification in a proper way, the results are going to be a nightmare rather than a dream.  To do the job right, contact the Green Business League for serious guidance and certification.  A Certified Green Consultant is the proven solution to a healthy and an environmentally friendly business.  Everything else is an illusion of Green and a may have scary consequences.

By now we all know that washing our hands are an important part of disease prevention. It has been all over the television, and yet there are still things that need to be understood about handwashing. As this clip points out, the Ethyl alcohol can be dangerous if consumed. Doesn’t this send a message about how Green we are when pushed a little.

Another note of interest is that bacterial soap is not any more effective than normal soap. 20 seconds of good handwashing is the best suggestion, which is about the same length of time it takes to sing, “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” There is further concern about bacterial soap and the very real ability of bacteria to morph and develop immunities to any threat they regularly encounter. This is why doctors do not like to over-prescribe antibiotics. Doctors know that bacteria have a very unnerving way to mutating to a resistant variation of what they encounter time and time again.

So, let’s get down to the simple stuff. Wash your hands like your mother told you. Use normal soap and water, and don’t be hasty. If you want a really great kind of soap that comes from a very Green process, look into castile soap. It is most often made from natural olive oil, its good for the skin, and doesn’t pollute.

Here’s my pick with the H1N1 mania. Yes, it is a problem, and it could turn into a pandemic; but we do not have to abandon the Green practices recently included in our daily operation? The best solution is a proactive cleaning program that does not include the dangerous products like bleach, ammonia, and alcohol. When school or business encounters a spreading infection, they call out the shock troops who come in a spray, slather, and scrub with some really awful chemicals. At that point, all Green consideration is thrown out the door. The problem is that there are reasonable and very Green ways to disinfect.

A massive cleaning project also misses the obvious. These diseases came in from the community and enter the school and business with each new day. The very next day after a major sanitizing project, the facility will be re-infected. One of the first areas to examine is whether the cleaning service is Green Clean Certified. If not, they are playing at Green. Secondly, take a trip to the janitorial closet and prepare yourself for a shock of unGreen products that you will find. Most janitorial services are merely token Green at best, and need to step up their game.

During the infection cycle, increase the frequency of cleaning. This need not be a whole building cleaning, but the regular cleaning of the “High Touch” areas, like: doorknobs, light switches, the copy machine panel, keyboards, and countertops. If the service isn’t able to do this, assign a person in your building to spot clean the prime contact areas with a Green product.

Be sure to use a microfiber cleaning cloth that is able to clean surfaces better than any other cloth. Also, make sure that employees are told to stay home if they are sick. In this age of computer mobility, it seems reasonable that an employee can do some needful work right from home. Everyone has a cell phone and an Internet connection. If you have done the right thing and installed the paperless system in your business operation, the work at home idea is feasible and practical.

Inoculations and vaccines are helpful to break the cycle of disease as well. Most every virus spreads from person to person. Bacterial infections can spread by indirect contact. Therefore, if a segment of the society is immunized from the pending virus, it forms a kind of firebreak to the encroachment of the target disease. So, N1H1 is not an uncommon threat. 36,000 people die from the flu every year according to the CDC. H1N1 presents an aggressive and fast-moving disease that could be a literal pandemic. So, let’s get back to the basics and realize that the first line of defense is good sanitation processes.

When considering the basics of a Green business, some issues are fairly simple.  Paper use is a ubiquitous issue in any business, but to a Green business, it is a key component at every level of operation.  Although a simple issue, the life cycle analysis of paper is a classic example of what a Green business must address.  One of the foremost issues is the amount of paper that business throws out each year.  Paper and paper products compose 36% of municipal solid waste (MSW).  By volume, paper is the single largest category of what ends up in the land fills.  This is also one of the fungible elements of a Green business, because there are better solutions that are easily installed.

The upstream concerns of paper manufacture often start with the harvesting of trees that are eventually turning into wood pulp.  The process is something that is easily investigated, but the chemicals used are not mild.  One of the most problematic is the chlorine that is used to bleach the paper to a bright white color.  Waste water from pulp and paper factories is a relatively unreported issue, but the waste water includes various toxic chemicals like Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which includes terpenes, alcohols, phenols, methanol, acetone, chloroform, methyl ethyl ketone; detergents and surfactants; dyes and pigments; acids; and alkaline solutions.

Some of the air pollutants released by the paper industry include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxides, carbon monoxide, ammonia, VOCs and particulate matter like ash and dust. All in all, the making of paper could not be considered a Green process. When we consider the downstream impact of the waste created through paper products, the unmistakable conclusion is that paper use is a major environmental issue and one that can be easily improved.

Paper reduction strategies include printing both sides of paper, copying less, stopping junk mail and magazines as well as increasing email use.  We should not forget the importance of using recycled paper for the office.  There are dozens of simple ideas, but one very powerful solution seems to have escaped the environmentally-astute sources like the well respected NRDC.  The paperless office is not one of the Green solutions, but it should be.

Paperless solutions include: 1) Document storage and retrieval software, 2) Replacing fax machines with online services that turn faxes into email, 3) Software solutions for accounting, payroll, and billing, 4) Virtual meeting software that can eliminate travel and save time.

The problem with these Green solutions is that they are trouble to install and require a change to the office as well as training of the employees.  The early transition is a hurdle, but results are immense.  Installing these paperless solutions will reduce paper use, decrease paper waste, and will literally speed up the office.  The savings are not just in paper costs, but the fact that fewer employees can do more work.  The efficiency factor can save a business thousands of dollars in operational costs and will greatly impress your customers.

To be a Green business, it will take more than using recycled paper or double sided printing.  The paperless system is the best and the smart answer.  Software can be installed, but the Internet also provides these same services that allow information to be shared by employees and offices everywhere.  The Green Business League not only promotes these solutions among its member businesses, but uses these systems for their ownoperations.

Companies seeking to become Green Business Certified should locate a Certified Green Consultant in their community.   The installation of Green Practices will take any business from a general Greenwashing role to an authentic Green business.

When making the transition to a Green operation, do not neglect the cleaning aspect.  In fact, the cleaning process is a big part of any Green building.  To do this right, I’d like to explain the three components to insuring that you have a Green cleaning process in place.  They are: 1) Green Products, 2) Green tools, and 3) Green training.  So often, I hear of janitorial firms boasting of being Green just because they carry a few Green products.  This is what we call “Proxy Green” where the janitorial service merely purchases a Green product as the only qualifier.  This is a easy mistake to make, but this is not the way to Go Green.

Going Green is also about the tools that are used and the training that it takes to clean properly with Green practices.  For example, the idea of “Dwell Time” for Green product is part of the new strategy rather than the “spray and wipe” routine.  The idea of “Top Down” cleaning also needs revision.  In all honesty, I find that the vast majority of janitorial firms skimp when it comes to Green while boasting that they have the expertise to to the job in an environmentally-safe manner.

Green products are essential because former cleaning products were harsh and emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that could cause immediate and long-term health problems to the workers and to the employees who came to work each day.   Cleaning programs are a big part of indoor air quality issues that may create an indoor air quality that is 5 to 6 times worse than outdoor air.  The EPA also reports that we spend 90% of our time indoors, so whatever gets into the air is something that we breathe in constantly.  Indoor air quality is a Green issue because is does impact our health in a powerful manner.

Green equipment includes microfiber cleaning tools, HEPA vacuums, and even the use of fragrances as a common practice that is improperly applied inside the workplace.  Finally, having a trained staff requires more than a five minute review as products are handed out.  Some distributors are handing our Green certifications based upon attendance at the product presentation.  This is all a sad testimony about the janitorial attitude toward cutting corners in a highly competitive market.

It is suggested that any RFP (Request for Proposal) or contract with a janitorial service insert a requirement for Green certification of the cleaning firm.  Do not accept the self-appointed brag that a company is Green, or that a logo has been created for private use.  There is simply a lot of deception and Greenwashing in the janitorial/maintenance business as many try to short-cut the certification requirements.  Green Clean Institute maintains a list of Green Certified firms across America.

If your business is going through a certification program with the Green Business League, a Green certified janitorial services is worth 10 points in their 100 point system.  The use of Green cleaning products and Green tools is worth another 5 points.  Your local Certified Green Consultant can assist you with finding a Green certified janitorial firm as well as helping your company earn the necessary points for Green business certification with the Green Business League.

The issue of environmental lawsuits is a growing concern in America.  We are seeing a substantial volume of lawsuit coming from poor indoor air quality, and it promises to get get much worse.  This is the exact wrong time to cut corners on the cleaning service, cleaning products, or the Greening of the office.  Health is a premium to all of us, and something that every employer must safeguard.