Sustainability means much more than “green cleaning,” although green is a part of sustainability. Idealistically, sustainability means that we humans allow biological systems to go on functioning indefinitely, while simultaneously drawing from said systems for our own survival and quality of life. So, we strive to minimize our impact on natural and man-made resources by developing processes that use less electricity, less water, less packaging material, and yes that are not toxic to the environment or people in our buildings. We thereby minimize our environmental impact.
You have heard this all before, but sustainability is here to stay primarily for this reason: it makes fiscal sense, it saves money. It has been said that it involves the triple bottom line of People, Planet, and Profit. As companies conserve resources, they don’t have to pay for them, so logically everyone should be committed to sustainability.
How does the company that empties your trash and cleans your restrooms fit into the picture? Ask your provider why using micro-fiber products saves water and chemicals while removing more soil and improving productivity.
Ask about activated water and its up-and-coming place in the cleaning landscape – imagine cleaning products that actually work produced on-site from tap water, salt, and a small amount of electricity. And don’t hesitate to ask about waste reduction, recycling, and water conservation, along with what they are doing to help you with these initiatives. A sustainability-oriented cleaning company will be knowledgeable about these and other hot-button issues that directly impact your company’s initiatives and will likely be able to keep your costs low while maintaining profitability, which translates to survivability.
